Our Perfect Disease
by JupiterDelphinus
Summary: Marceline and Princess Bubblegum have been through a lot together, and still have a lot left to learn. Past, present and future scenes from the pair.
1. After What Was Missing

Chapter 1: After What Was Missing

"I'll kill you!" Marceline yelled, and the four of them, Bubblegum, Finn, Beemo, and Jake, all went running-scattering in different directions. She didn't chase them past the door that led to her house though, and thankfully, none of them turned around to see her stop. Slowly, sadly, Marceline turned back into herself and floated through the door in the ground and back into her living room. As it closed behind her, she saw it fold up and disappear.

Sighing heavily, Marceline collapsed on the couch that she had never sat on. _Finn was totally right, this couch is like, super uncomfortable._ But she didn't have it in her to float at the moment. Finn had been wrong when he said the Door Lord hadn't taken anything from her…but then he had been right at the same time. Marceline didn't really connect to things; after all, when you've lived more than a thousand years, that's all they become: **things.** What Marceline was chasing after, however, was whatever that butt of a Door Lord had taken from Princess Bubblegum, because the picture perfect Candy Kingdom royal meant the world to Marceline, no matter how much she denied it. _There isn't anything I wouldn't do for that pink nerd..._

She sighed again, trying to sink even further into the rock she called a couch, which only succeeded in causing an awful ache in her neck. _Why do I even have this stupid thing? It's not like I use it ever…appearances I guess. It's important to maintain those, isn't it Miss Bonnibel?_ She hissed a little at the memory of their falling out, which caused the day's events to come flooding back to her. She let out a frustrated yell and thrust herself off the couch, hair wildly floating around her in serpentine-like motions. Her grip on her axe-bass tightened, as frustration and sadness quickly dissolved into something the immortal knew far better: anger.

_Why did she have to-? And why did I-? Ugh!_ Marceline swung the bass hard into the radio in the corner of the room, successfully destroying it. _And then with that lumping SONG!_ She gritted her teeth and embedded the musical weapon into her television, sending sparks all over her floor. _I totally got carried away and I wasn't even thinking! Why __do__ I want to? _She swung around wildly, destroying anything and everything she could, until she reached the biggest thing in the room: her stupid sofa. The sofa she didn't need. The sofa she didn't use. The sofa she kept for appearances.

She swung diagonally and sliced the thing clean in half, the ancient axe and her vampire strength more than conquering the rocky furniture, but it did nothing to quell the mix of emotions that the candy princess always seemed to bring out in her. _And she still has that stupid __fucking__ shirt!_ She said, using a word she had heard often in her days as a child in the Mushroom War.

Marceline's eyes darted frantically about the room, trying to find anything new to ruin, the ocean of feeling threatening to drown her. It wasn't everyday that the proclaimed heartless Queen felt things besides anger, yet today was one of those days. Not finding anything, she picked the axe-bass up over her head, "Damn it!" she yelled, and brought the tool down, crashing it through the foundations of the house and lodging it firmly into the cave floor below. _Bad at handling emotions? You got it._ She thought, which only spurred her on further.

She gave it a yank, but it didn't come out. _Whatever! I'll get the damn thing later._ Without an outlet to deter her, she found herself fading into sadness, which the hot-headed Vampire Queen most certainly did not want. _All this is stupid, perfect, wonderful Bubblegum's fault! _She thought, huffing about, pacing in mid-air. _I just have to get away from her. We're no good for each other! I know! I'll just up and leave! That seemed okay last time! Give me time to get my walls all in place! _She dashed into her room through the hole in the ceiling and began madly stuffing clothes and a couple umbrellas (for the sun) into an old duffel. _Stupid Bonnibel! Stupid Finn! Stupid Door Lord! Stupid…everything! _

She flew back down to the first floor and began tugging at her axe-bass, trying to get it out of the cave's sturdy hold, quickly becoming more and more frustrated and angry. There was no way she was leaving without the thing, it was the only thing she had constantly relied on and the only thing that had constantly delivered. Besides, it wasn't as though she didn't have the strength; she just couldn't seem to get the stupid thing out. Amidst her grunts of effort, she heard a polite cough from behind her. Turning into a wolf-like creature three times the size of a normal person in the blink of an eye at the unknown and unwelcome disturbance, she turned around quickly with an animalistic, "What?" only to find a now-frightened Princess Bubblegum huddling in a corner of her ruined 'living' room, trying her very best to maintain her royal, headstrong, upright image.

Upon seeing the pink royal, Marceline, instead of being tempered, as had been the norm in the past, found herself even becoming angrier. There she was, the cause of all her pain, standing in her house uninvited, as though she could waltz in whenever she pleased. "What do you **want**, Princess?" she growled, expanding even further into her monstrous form, arms hanging all the way down to the floor with huge claws and teeth extending well beyond the boundaries of her lips. Black drool fell to the floor, and the room seemed to get very dark and stretch with the new growth, giving off an excruciatingly ominous feel.

The pink girl had shied away further from Marceline, who had so formally addressed her, which was scary in-and-of itself. "I-I c-came to s-see you, Marci…" she stammered out. Marceline for her part only seethed in front of her, towering over her in the most frightening manner imaginable and willing the girl anywhere but standing in her house. "I-I didn't know until…W-with that song and I…" The princess gulped heavily, seeing as this would be a very one-sided conversation with a very angry shape-shifting, hot-headed undead. "Marceline I was very young and-"

"Young?" Marceline said, voice eerily calm for the form she had taken. "You are still 'very young' princess." The vampire sighed out most of her anger as well as any other emotions she had, and melted back into herself. _All this time and she still can't bring herself to say 'I'm sorry.'_ Marceline conceded defeat within herself; it was never going to happen, the candy royal was far too self-assured to admit a mistake. Marceline walked over to her bass, which was still lodged in the cave floor, turning her back on a relieved Princess Bubblegum. "You will always be very young," The vampire mumbled, more to herself than to the other party in the room.

"Marceline," Bubblegum said, voice returning to its calm, in-control demeanor, something the vampire used to tease her about. _Always so diplomatic…but not around me, eh, Bonni? _"You have to believe me oh All-Knowing-Queen-of-the-Dead," she continued, voice giving away just the slightest bit of sarcasm, a tone solely reserved for Marceline "I wasn't thinking when…well, you know…"

Marceline huffed at the evasion. "Princess," she began, taking on a regal and almost condescending tone suiting her years and position, though she would never talk down to Bubblegum, "You were thinking. Thinking very clearly, if I'm not mistaken and memory serves. Do not take me for a fool, Princess…you often forget I have lived almost a thousand years longer than you and have seen many things." Her tone shifted, she hated when she acted like royalty, it didn't suit her. "Why don't you run off back to Finn now? He is better for your image, isn't he?" A scathing, teenage way of behaving found its way into Marceline's speech. She didn't have to turn around to know that her words had stung. "I just hope for that poor boy's sake that you don't use him or jerk him around or like…whatever." She concluded, trailing off.

"I have always been very clear with my feelings towards Finn." Bubblegum said, guilt betraying the conviction and strength she was hoping to convey.

"Oh…like how you kissed him when you turned back into a thirteen-year-old? And how you hug him all the time? And kiss him on the cheek? And call him your 'flawless champion'?" Marceline jabbed, giving a yank to the axe in the floor. _That's right, Princess, I know all your games._

Bonnibel turned red, and tears sprung to her eyes.

"Face it, Bonni…you're very cold-hearted when it comes to people's emotions, whether you admit it to yourself or not. You string people along for your use. Finn is your 'hero' until you find a new pet subject. It's a shame, really, 'cause like…you could be like, totally cool to be with…or whatever." Marceline murmured the last part incredibly softly, which was really not for the pink girl to hear. The term of endearment had slipped out from habit, and Marceline silently cursed herself for that. "Please go, Princess," she said quietly, finally tugging the axe bass from the floor and assessing it for damage. "I don't think I can see you right now."

Feet shuffled behind her, and quiet sniffles were easily heard by vampire ears. Marceline grabbed her duffel off the floor and swung it over her shoulder, waiting for Bubblegum to leave so she could make her departure. Seeing this as she reached the door, Bubblegum said, "Please don't leave again, Marci." She stood a moment before closing the front door behind her and making her way back to her bright and happy Candy Kingdom.

"Damn…" Marceline said in defeat, the bag sliding off her shoulder and hitting the ground with a resounding and unsatisfying thud. _Looks like I won't be leaving after all…_ she thought, looking around the destroyed room and taking inventory of the things she could fix, and the things she needed to get new. _When have I ever been able to say 'no' to you, Bonni?_

The rest of the evening she spent taking the ruined things out of her house and to the River of Junk.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Okay! Have a serious Sugarfree Gum hankering, so this spilled out. **

**NOTICE! NOTICE! NOTICE! I will be taking requests as to what you all would like to see from the pairing! EX) Their first kiss or how Bonni got the shirt. Or maybe you want to know about just one of the two? EX) What happened with Marci and the Fries, or a young monarch Bubblegum. So just drop a comment and I'll pick the winner (one per chapter, so if you're really insistent, comment for the scene you want each chapter.) I'll probably also be writing some of my own stuff in here, but I do want your suggestions! I'll rate it T for now, but won't hesitate to go M (you dirty minds, you) so don't be afraid. Anything goes! **

**-JD**


	2. A Cure

Chapter 2: A "Cure"

A fifteen-year-old Princess Bubblegum slowly creaked the door to her basement lab open. "Marci? Marceline?" She whispered into the hallway, the sound echoing through the large corridor. She pulled her safety goggles onto her forehead, her right hand carefully gripping a test tube of a dark liquid.

Taking the utmost caution not to spill what she had been working all night, and for many nights prior, she tip-toed into the hall and shut the lab door behind her. _Oh that Marceline, where is she?_ Slowly making her way down the hall, the young monarch made sure to left, right and up, knowing the vampire could fly. "Marceline I know you're here, so you had better come out this instant!" she commanded in her oh-so-royal voice, causing a seething echo to resound around her. The hall was pretty dark, and only candle-lit, and the further she got from the safety of her lab, the more unsettled she became. _There is no one here. There is no one here. Except maybe Marceline. Who is most likely waiting to come out and scare you. Or bite you. Or eat you. Or terrorize you. Or otherwise inflict some sort of unknown trauma. Glob! Now I've gone and gotten myself even more worked up! And why is this frickin' hall only lit by candles anyway?_

A chill ran through the air, flickering the candles in the hall, and Bubblegum jumped around, almost spilling some of her experiment with a small 'scree' of fright. Taking a trembling hand, she fished around in her pockets for a stopper to top the test tube with, so she wouldn't spill any in case another fright happened. _Which it probably will because it's two in the morning and that butt Marceline is Queen of the Night and all that junk._ Shaking, the Princess stood still and stammered out into the expanse, "M-Marceline I kn-know it's you so j-just stop playing and come out!" She spoke a little louder than before, willing to risk Peppermint Butler waking and finding her meeting the mysterious Marceline for a secret rendezvous if it meant no more scares.

_Glob…Glob! Does she just have to be able to turn invisible and all that?_ She gripped her experiment with both hands, as a tickling sensation crossed over her shoulder. She jumped hastily around, quickly growing more frightened and more tired of what she hoped were Marceline's antics. She was used to being kidnapped, so alone in a dark hallway, the candy girl was incredibly jumpy and cautious. "A-all right Marceline! Y-you win! Just-just come out here!" suddenly, all the candles in the hall, save for one set, went out. Bubblegum huddled into the small circle of light as though it would protect her from the monsters in the dark. _As if it could ever protect me from that butt of a butt Marceline! Glob! Why do I even like her! She's so…Ugh!_ The monarch was quite literally shaking in her toxic-and-other-stuff-proof boots. "I said it Marci! You win!" Those words usually caused the Vampire to appear, a triumphant look on her face. She had yet to find a situation in which she couldn't scare Bubblegum, and she relished in that.

Figuring the ghoulish girl had to be in the darkness somewhere; Bubblegum inched slowly away from the wall to peer out into the darkness. "M-Marci?" she said, squinting hard.

"Hello Bonnibel." A voice said right next to her ear. The Candy Princess let out a full-on scream, accidentally throwing the test tube into the air. Turning around rapidly, she found herself face-to-face with a pair of deep navy lace-up boots. Heaving in gasps of air, she followed the form down to see the face of her friend in half concern and half amused smirk, holding the glass tube in her hand unbroken, wild hair dancing around off the floor.

Marceline floated up, keeping her feet facing the ceiling, until she became eye-level with Bubblegum, upside down though she was. "Careful there, Bonni, you almost dropped your thingy." She handed the girl her test tube full of liquid and smirked a devilish smirk. The younger girl's fright was quickly turning into her usual frustrated anger that came out when dealing with Marceline, but before she could say anything, a concerned voice found its way down the hall.

"Princess? Are you all right? Princess?"

Bubblegum snapped her head over to see the approaching figure of Peppermint Butler carrying a flashlight and shining it down the hall. Nervously turning back to see Marceline, fearing being caught with the deviant, she was surprised to see the girl gone. "Princess?" the little man reiterated, "I thought I heard a scream. And why are all the candles out?"

Giving a nervous laugh, she waved him off. "Oh Peppermint, you know me; working 'till all hours of the morning. I opened my big ol' door from the lab and the shift in air pressure caused most of the lights to go out and it startled me is all. A-ha. A-ha-ha."

"Then why are you here, in the middle of the hall?"

"Well you see…this was the only set of candles to remain lit-for unknown reasons which I shall have to look into-so I walked out here to wait for you because I knew you would be coming and I did not wish to scare you." _Unlike that…that…__**patoot**__ Marceline!_

"Oh! Why how thoughtful of you, your highness!" The butler gave a little bow, his sleeping cap flopping down onto his face a bit. Bubblegum giggled. Blushing a bit, the small servant readjusted himself, "Well if there is no trouble and nothing you require, majesty, I'll be back off to bed."

Bubblegum had been glancing around as inconspicuously as possible, still looking for her Vampire-in-hiding. "Huh? Oh! Yes Peppermint, you have a good night now!" And with that, he gave a small bow and disappeared down the hall and back into his own chambers. _Ooooh, that Marceline!_

The candles all slowly re-lit themselves and the floating girl was revealed to the peeved monarch, wearing a triumphant, apologetic, sheepish grin all at once, something Bonnibel was sure only the Vampire Queen could pull off. Without saying a word, Bubblegum grabbed Marceline by her pointed hear and dragged her through the air and into her private chambers, ignoring the girl's quiet calls of discomfort and slight pain.

Locking the door behind her, Bubbegum finally released Marceline, who wasrubbing rapidly at her reddening ear, looking like a kicked dog. "Oh no, Miss Night Stalker, no puppy dog eyes this time! It is not going to work! You almost ruined my experiment! Not the mention frightened the heart guts right out of me!"

Marceline sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry, Bonni…I did go a little too far this time, didn't I?"

"You're darn right you did!" was the curt response, and with a cross of her arms, Bubblegum huffed her way to the other side of the room.

Floating behind her and coming to a stop right in front of the embarrassed girl, Marceline sighed again, shaking her head ever-so-slightly at her own deviancy. "Forgive me Bonni?" She asked, but a firm 'humph' was her only response. Using the trump card, Marceline leaned in close to the princess, brushed her bluish/grey lips past pink ones, touching them ever-so-slightly and eliciting and almost-silent gasp from Bubblegum, and planted a sweet kiss right on the girl's cheek. "I really am sorry." She whispered into the younger girl's ear, bringing a blush to already-pink cheeks.

As the Vampire pulled away, Bonni gave a stern look. "Oh you…I forgive you. But don't do anything as terrifying as that again; do I make myself clear?"

Marceline nodded furiously then, with a sly grin, added, "It could have been worse, Bonni. I could have come out as a werebeast of some kind and really given you the fright of your life!" She laughed a hearty laugh and got slapped playfully by the soon-to-be ruler of the Candy Kingdom, not that she wasn't in charge already, it just wasn't 'official' yet. Not until her eighteenth birthday. "Love the outfit, by the way. Very geek-chick, what with the tousled hair, goggles and stained lab coat." She gave another laugh, causing the scientist to blush from embarrassment once more. "It's cute, Bonni." She floated over to the bad and crossed her legs over it, and was followed immediately by Bubblegum, who actually sat on the piece of furniture. "What have you been working on in that dungeon of yours any who? It's been a while since anything new has come out, so this must be something big."

Bubblegum beamed excitement and sat up on her haunches to better look Marceline in the face. She pulled out the test tube of dark liquid goop. "This," she began triumphantly, "is the first sample of what I believe to be, or will develop into, the cure for vampirism!"

The amused and interested smile that had been on Marceline's face slowly faded at the announcement. "The what?" she whispered.

"It could be that beginnings of a cure for vampirism! Oh think of it Marci! You could go out into the sun and eat food again and walk around and we wouldn't have to hide our being together or anything! You would be alive again!"

"Bubblegum," Marceline began, floating down to sit on the bed with her girl, "I'm not sick; I'm dead…or undead. Trust me, there is not ever going to be a cure, and if there ever was, I'm not sure it's something to mess around with. I've been this was for a little over a thousand years now…I don't think it's a good idea to try and change a thousand years worth of whatever is keeping me the way I am." She had tried to let the younger down gently, not betraying any of the hurt she was feeling.

"But Marceline, don't you see? This is your chance to be _normal _again! To be _human_ again! The first one of your kind since the Mushroom War!" The princess said earnestly, grabbing hold of Marceline's slightly chilled hands in hers.

Marceline shied away, stung by the word 'normal' and how desperately Bubblegum seemed to want that from her. "Is there something wrong with the way that I am now, Princess?"

Bubblegum knew she had plucked a bad heartstring on the raven-haired girl, as she only called her 'Princess' when something was really wrong. And then it dawned on her. _Oh glob…_

"Marci…Marci no, no…look at me, hon." She placed a kind palm on Marceline's cheek, "You are absolutely fine whatever form you are in. I got so caught up in the experiment, I wasn't even thinking. You don't take it if you don't want to. In retrospect, it's probably better if you don't because we don't know if there are any side effects that could be temporary or permanent or even fatal." She took the tube and put it in a shoe box under her bed.

Marceline looked up and Bubblegum offered a kind smile in return. However, as much as it sounded like an apology, the words never fell from Bonnibel's mouth, a fact the Vampire took note of, and had taken many notes prior. It seemed she was always the one apologizing to the picture-perfect candy princess.

Sighing a little, Marceline said, "Thanks Bonni," Then watched at the girl gave a hearty yawn. Marceline laughed. "Looks like someone's ready for bed." She made her way to Bubblegum's closet and pulled out a matching pair of pick silky pajamas. Handing them over to the girl, she turned away shyly as Bubblegum changed.

"Will you stay with me tonight, Marci?" Bonnibel asked with slight seduction in her voice, as she had almost every night since she turned fifteen.

"Bonni we talked about this…not until you are at least sixteen. Or the fates align and it feels right." Marceline was all about going with the moment, but begging was definitely not the moment. It should be romantic, natural. But Bonnibel the scientist never really understood those things. She wanted to test, learn, dissect.

"Marceline I know everything there is to know about it! I don't understand what the big deal is."

Marceline turned around, hands covering her eyes. It wouldn't be the first time Bubblegum had carried on a conversation scantily clad in order to tempt Marceline, and it had been very tempting indeed. "Just because you read about it in books, doesn't mean you like, know, okay? It's different. Just…please don't fight me on this one, Bubblegum" Marceline heard a huff, and knew she'd be having an almost identical conversation the next night if she decided to pop in, and when did she not?

"I'm dressed," Bonnibel said, and Marceline removed her hand from her eyes, offering a kind smile, which the princess took gratefully. Lying down in bed and snuggling under the covers, Marceline leaned over her princess and gave her a peck on the lips.

"Goodnight, Bonni. Sleep well."

"Goodnight, My Marceline…"

She stayed until the princess was fast asleep and then floated out the window back to her tree house. Upon entering, she slumped onto her fluffy bed, giving a sigh. "Normal…what's so bad with me this way…?" she mumbled into her pillow.

Marceline waited for the sun to rise so she could get some sleep.

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><p><strong>AN**

**I STILL WANT TO KNOW WHAT SCENES YOU WANT! Specifics people! Specifics! Say my first chapter was a suggestion...it would have been : "What happened to Marci after the gang defeated the Door Lord?"**

**This one could have been : "Bubblegum was excited about an experiment, Marci wasn't. Why?"**

**I want to know what you want to read! You can even say if you want it in the past or future! Not afraid to go M! (As a side-note: in the original word doc, when I got to the phrase 'devilish smirk' there were 666 words. Hehe)**

**-JD**


	3. The Birth of Bonnibel

Chapter 3: The Birth of Bonnibel

"Honey?" The Lady Bubblegum began. She was a beautiful, and fiery deep red Bubble Person, and it suited her name justly. Cinnamon Bubblegum was fierce, highly intelligent, and very passionate about her kingdom.

"Yes sugar plum?" Her kindly husband responded, looking up from his royal papers at his wife. The king, on the other hand, was the quiet and kind silvery counterpart of his wife. Spearmint Gumball was known for his compassion and logic. Both came from an age where names were flavors. It was an old tradition, one that the Kingdom had long since forgotten. Now, the only reason people carried names like theirs was because the parents had found it suitable or because it was a family name, though often the flavor became a middle name.

The King Gumball and Queen Bubblegum had been kindly and justly ruling their Candy Kingdom for almost as long as the world could remember. They had led their people through four depressions, one invasion (by Lumpy Space, though they were now friends), and many threats. War had never broken out, however, because as soon as the opposing army or royals met the kindly members of the easily attacked candy kingdom, they could not find it in themselves to strike. As for that invasion by Lumpy Space, they had attacked before any formal meeting was had, but as soon as the kings met, all Lumpy Space People left the town, and were offered fruit for the long journey home. Such was how the kingdom and people conducted themselves.

All this the two had been through, for you see, candy people age very differently, and as long as they keep up with their Biomass, living for hundreds of years isn't a problem. The two were so loved by their people that maintaining their strength was not a concern, as they were frequently offered pieces of their candy subjects as gifts of thanks for ruling so well.

Their Kingdom has arisen not long after the Mushroom war, and they had built it dutifully and peacefully for almost one thousand years, though the couple didn't look a day over forty. They had been appeasing and sweet to neighboring kingdoms, even the Ice Kingdom, whose king always seemed to stir up trouble.

The Queen walked out onto their large overhang balcony to gaze down at her kingdom. "Honey," she repeated, "I think it's time for us to move on from this world."

The King stood from his desk and joined her on the balcony, placing an arm around her shoulder lovingly. "You know, my sweet, I've been thinking the same thing. We have lived here for hundreds of years now. Our age makes us so very different from the ever-shifting subjects of our lovely kingdom. We are established, and our people need someone who will learn and grow with them."

The woman looked to her husband. "I see you have given this much thought, and I completely agree with you. A child would do so nicely…to learn from our people and the times. What a marvelous idea."

The King smiled warmly down at his wife. "Our child…it's about time, is it not? Almost one thousand years later?" He gave a hearty laugh. It's true that the generous and kind royals had not had children, but they thought they could always have more time. After all, their candy biomass was maintained constantly. Yet now, as they found themselves ready to move on to the next plain of existence, they had no heir to take over their duties.

"Let us make a formal announcement to our people tomorrow then," He said, and the Lady Bubblegum beamed in happiness.

* * *

><p>"My people!" The King began the next day, standing on the balcony just above his subjects, "The Queen and I have come to an important decision. As you well know, we have happily ruled this Kingdom since its creation; now though, we find ourselves prepared to move on." there was a quiet murmur through the crowd of candy people, who had come from all corners of the small kingdom to hear the important royal announcement.<p>

"We have lived on this earth for nine hundred and seventy six years, and you, the people, have generously kept us alive for so long. Yet, we find ourselves at a disconnect. We are old, and of an ancient generation. You are young, and so much in our world is changing. So, this night, we have decided to move on to the next plain of existence."

At that the crowd gave an uproar. Cries echoed through the town square. Everyone was wondering who would rule, what would happen to the kingdom, and wondering what brought the aged couple to this decision.

The Queen regally held up a hand, delicately silencing the group below. "Now candy people, fear not. We know this is a sudden decision, but the king and I will not leave you hanging for an heir. Tonight, before we depart from you, we will create a child for all of you to raise and teach. Together, the child and the kingdom will grow into this modern age. We are trusting you, the people, to be kind and to love our child in our absence."

The monarchs looked at each other for a brief moment, both wondering why they had waited all these years to create a child, only to leave it. Yet, there was no better citizenry to give such a wonderful responsibility to. The people of the Candy Kingdom were not only kind, but fiercely loyal and protective. Each and every one of them would happily die for their royals, and were incredibly hard working, smart, and responsible.

A moment passed, and the king looked back out at his subjects, smiling. "Will you do it?" He asked, and there was a resounding holler of positivity that people swore could be heard all the way in Lumpy Space.

"Then," the King said, "Let the celebration begin! For tonight, a new Candy Royal will be born!" And the whole town was instantaneously thrown into festivities. Food and games and decorations were all brought out from their respective shops. The best musician pulled out their instruments and began playing the best and most original songs. The whole kingdom rejoiced, realizing the same thing that the King and Queen had. It was indeed time for a new ruler, and though the world would be sad to see these ancient monarchs go, the bringing in of a new life to teach and grow with was something worth celebrating.

The festivities lasted all day, but upon their end, the King and Queen retired to their bed chambers, prepared to move on and to leave behind their child to the joys of the world.

Silently, they went about the process, for Candy People are not made through sex, but through the combining of two souls and two people, literally. The Queen pulled of a piece of her hair, and the King did the same. Placing the two pieces together, the royals clasped their hands together, their soon-to-be child in the middle of them.

"Are you ready, my love?" His highness asked. The queen nodded. Releasing hands, each took their right hand, and slowly made their way through their candy flesh and to their hearts, where each broke off a piece far bigger than normal (as they would be leaving this world) and removed it, placing the pieces in the center of their combined hair. This was the process all candy people went through for children, yet the pieces were often so much smaller. Truly it was a joining of hearts, so having a child was not something to take lightly.

Together, they folded over the ends of their hair, making sure to completely conceal the pieces of heart guts. The clasped hands again, as the small mound began to shift and move, forming slowly and beautifully into a combined manifestation of their love. Watching in awed reverence at the life that was literally coming to be before their very eyes, the two were soon met with a sleeping, pink, female baby on the bed between them.

"What shall we name her?" The king asked.

"What about Bonnibel? Bonnibel Bubblegum." His counterpart smiled, and a silent agreement of the child's name was reached, formally ridding the royal line of the ancient tradition of flavor names. "Let her be kind."

"Let her be smart."

"But most of all, I think, my dear, let her love and be loved."

The queen gently picked up the infant and carried her to the room of the ninth descendant of the Peppermint Butler line. The only line left to have kept their flavor name. The man could have just as easily been called 'James Butler,' and in actuality, he was Peppermint Butler IX.

He answered the door swiftly and gave a small bow, taking the child into his own arms. "Bonnibel Bubblegum." The Queen stated, and with that, the small man was sent scurrying down the hall, taking the princess into a nursery he had prepared throughout the day.

"Such a good butler…" The king mused for a moment, before taking his wife's hand and leading her back to their room. They lay down on the bed together, and closed their eyes.

And with that, the King Gumball and Queen Bubblegum silently left this Earth.

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><p><strong>AN**

**Okay! This one is from _Caercutt_****_a_, who asked for two things, but I decided to run with 'Did she have parents...?'So viola! Birth of Bonni!**** It all starts with the candy Biomass thing, not a sexy rumpus between the sheets!**

**_Shadowfox: _Yes it is all one story, though the time line is severely non-linear, so it seems (at least to me) more like one-shots and I'm setting it up that way I think. Like, any ****suggestions don't have to do exclusively with plot. If it continues, I'm sure it'll all fall into place as one universe and history.**

**Thank you to my reviewers and prompt-givers!**

***************************************I STILL WANT MORE SUGGESTIONS SO KEEP 'EM COMING!****************************************

**-JD**


	4. Finally

Chapter 4: Finally

Marceline floated over her couch, absentmindedly plucking at her bass. The Candy Kingdom and the neighboring lands had been uncommonly but pleasantly peaceful as of late. _Of course, that usually means something big is going to go down in like, two hours or something. _The vampire sighed a little from boredom. _Man…life's just no fun when no one is being kidnapped or attacked and stuff. I wonder if Finn and Jake are up to any shenanigans. Maybe they'd want to jam…_

As her thoughts trailed off, there was a polite knocking at the door. Marceline froze, knowing only one person who knocked like that. It was the Candy Princess…and though they had been on decent terms as of late, Marceline wasn't sure if she wanted to be alone in her house with the pink girl. She quietly floated over to the door and put an ear against it. _Glob…glob! What do I do? Do I let her in? Maybe I'll just pretend I'm not home and she'll leave. Or maybe I can just fly out the window invisible. _As Marceline silently freaked out, a voice came from the other side of the door interrupted.

"Marceline I know you are in there, and further more I know you are listening to me! I heard you playing your bass before I knocked, now let me in, please." Bubblegum's voice took on the slightly different tone reserved for the vampire. A tone of stern…_stern what? Love? At least…that's what I used to think…_ Marceline still didn't move. "Come on, Vampire Queen of the Night and All that is Evil…open up." The slight sarcastic drip forced a small smirk onto Marceline's face, despite her inner protestations of the fact.

Realizing she'd been defeated, the dark girl took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the private encounter. _Okay Marci…you can do this. Remember, you have no moral code and no feelings except anger. Sarcasm is your like, your thing, and nothing Bonnibel can do will make things different. Walls up, Marceline._ She tensed herself in preperations and turned the knob, leaning casually on the door frame, with her feet on the ground, as the door opened.

"Well hello, Pinkie. What can I do for you this fine afternoon?" She knew she was basically blocking the young monarch from entry, but then, Marceline did what she wanted when she wanted how she wanted, and currently, she did not want Bubblegum alone in her house with her. The Candy Princess stood there with her hair shrunk shorter (just like Marceline liked) with a knee-length summer dress (that Marceline loved) on and a small bag in her hand.

"Hello Marceline. May I please come in? I would wait for you to invite me in, but manners have never been your strong suit." Despite the words, there was a slight teasing tone in Bubblegum's voice, and a smile tipped at Marceline's mouth. _Now this is more like it…_she thought, _a volley of teasing. It's been like, forever._

Stepping widely aside, Marceline gave a low bow. "Of course, your most royal highness. Please, grace us with your noble presents and be my honored guest in my oh-so-humble home."

Playful sarcasm oozed from the girl, and Bonnibel giggled, stepping into the quaint, cozy, but very Marceline home. "Thank you Marceline." She sat on the couch, and the vampire closed the door, leaning against it with crossed arms. It was evident that the Candy Princess had something to say, so Marceline simply waited. She watched as pink fingers twiddled around themselves in nervousness, and raised an eyebrow expectantly. After more than a thousand years of living, waiting a few minutes or hours for the girl to speak would be no problem, passing like the blink of an eye.

"It's…nice when we get along, isn't it Marceline?" She said, looking down at her twitching hands. She cleared her throat upon receiving no response from the other girl. "Do you, perhaps, have some tea that we could share? I'd like to talk to you." She continued shyly.

_Shy? If there's one thing Bonni isn't, it's shy…shy and nervous_…__ Marceline thought. Nevertheless, she responded with a kind, "Sure, Princess," and went to make some tea. Boiling the water in the kitchen, she looked through the space in the wall to Bubblegum. Marceline pulled out the tea pot and the large bag of mixed leaves she had in her pantry. It was her private blend, one that Bubblegum had often tried to imitate and failed at. She had even stolen a pinch to try to analyze it, but even then, nothing quite compared to Marceline's Mix.

The vampire put a generous scooping of the tea into the wire mesh framing as the water hit a boil. She took it off the stove, and slowly poured it into the tea pot and over the blend, allowing ample time for the water to collect what it needed to before allowing it to sit with the leaves brewing. Tea was one thing that Marceline had always ingested for the flavor. Sure, she could eat things, but only the color red really curbed her hunger. Everything else was just for the flavor, and most of the time, she just figured there was no point. But not tea. Marceline loved her tea.

A few minutes later, the tea pot filled with the delicious and aromatic drink was set of the coffee table with two tea cups for the royals. Any additives were completely unnecessary, as Marceline's tea had the perfect balance of sweet, bitter, and satisfying. Anything more would simply offset the miracle blend, as Bubblegum had so often called it. Marceline poured it slowly into the two cups, and handed one to Bubblegum, who took a deep breath of the aroma, and sipped, sighing in contentment.

"Honestly Marceline, I have like, no idea how you do it! I have analyzed and attempted to recreate and yet not one of my experimental duplicates has even come close!"

Marceline simply laughed, as the Princess eagerly took sip after sip before she herself had even begun to drink. "It's a secret you'll never get out of me."

The two sat in peace for a few moments, drinking their tea, until Bubblegum finished her first cup. As she slowly poured herself another, she said, "It _is_ nice, though, isn't it? When we get along…I can only imagine the look on Finn's face if he saw us acting like this."

Marceline erupted in laughter at the thought of it. "Yeah! I can see him now." Marceline stood up, pretending to have busted in her own door and using her axe to represent his sword. Putting on her best Finn impression, she shouted, "Okay! Who are you and what have you done with Marceline! Tell me or I'll bust your face open!" It was an accurate and good impression, and Bubblegum laughed.

Sitting back down, as it was her habit to be grounded with the other royal around, Marceline concluded, "And when I told him it really was me, he'd scream 'lies!' and attack, where he'd accuse the unknown perpetrator of magic and spells or kidnapping or something. That boy is such a weirdo sometimes."

Bubblegum laughed again. "He really hasn't grown up at all in the years we've known him, has he?" she mused.

Marceline took a moment to appreciate the friendly and kind situation. It reminded her a lot of how interactions with the Princess used to be. She heard a sigh from beside her, and turned her head. "So…" she began softly, "Why are you here, Princess?"

"What?" Bubblegum replied, extending the word for far too long. "Who says I'm here for anything? Can I not simply drop in on a friend? There is no reason. No purpose. Just a friendly visit between royalty."

Marceline laughed at the rambling girl. "I know when you're lying, you dork. What's up?"

Flushing a deeper pink, the other girl cleared her throat. "Do you…do you remember that thing with the Door Lord?"

Marceline did remember. It had been quite some time ago, but one does not simply forget an incident like that, especially when it held such significance. "Of course I do. It was like, wicked awesome! We totally kicked that guy's butt!" Marceline stated, ignoring the other part of the day that Bubblegum had clearly been referencing.

She hummed in agreement. "And you remember the conversation later that day?"

_No, I completely forgot how I was all ready to totally bail until you asked me to stay and how I essentially sang like, an angry love song to you and almost confessed my feelings for you in front of Finn, Jake and Beemo. _"Yes." Came Marceline's short response.

"Well…you…you didn't leave. And I guess I…what I'm trying to say is…it really got me thinking about, well, about…what happened with us." Marceline stiffened at the words. _I should have seen this coming. We can't just have a nice conversation or tea or whatever._ She sighed inwardly as the Princess continued. "Well I…I did a lot of thinking. Like…a LOT of thinking…and I realized I made a mistake. No…that isn't right." Marceline looked on as the girl struggled to find the words she wanted.

"Mistake would imply a certain naïveté that I did not have at the time. It was simply…or not so simply, a wrong choice that I consciously made. A very wrong choice and I…" Bubblegum gave a frustrated sigh. "I realized upon recollecting our times together that I made many wrong choices. And I selfishly and…cruelly" she struggled with the word, "have never, not once, actually…a-apologized_…_to you_…_M-Marceline."

Marceline, who had been taking a sip of her tea, lost control of herself for a moment upon hearing that, and the frail glass cup in her hand shattered at her strength. _Is she…is this…is it_…_finally happening?_ Bonnibel jumped at the development, and then looked at Marceline, who was staring adamantly at the floor, completely frozen. Figuring there was nothing else to do, the candy monarch continued.

"Now I know that…that the words would not be enough and indeed _could_ not be enough. So I began to wonder about the incident with the Door Lord. He passed through here but didn't take anything, which I found odd. Everyone has something that is that precious to them, precious enough for him to take, so I figured you must have lost yours already. So I-I began asking around and eventually…um…Finn told me about the adventure he had in your memories." She cleared her throat and grabbed her bag delicately off the floor and handed it to Marceline. "So…with this…and with my deepest apologies…I say I am…I am sorry, Marceline. For everything. I made a list of 'everything' but it would take too long to read. I can give it too you later if you'd like. I hope you will accept this as a decent enough apology, Marci, though I could probably never do enough, and…and I hope that maybe, someday, you can give me another chance."

_She didn't._ Marceline stared at the bag in her hands, eyes wide. _There is no way. _She untied the bow that was holding the top closed with shaking fingers. _She couldn't have._ As she slowly opened the small bag, she was met with a familiar face.

"Hambo…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Obviously, this one takes place in the future. It's from _Shadowfox_ who asked, 'Does Bubblegum ever say she sorry?' She does! And in the best way! Thank you for the lovely suggestion, and inspiration for the heartwarming return of Hambo. What a good apology from Bubblegum...**

_*****Keep asking and I'll keep giving!*****_

**Huzzah! *Triumphant music!***

**-JD **


	5. The Boy

Chapter 5: The Boy

Marceline's feet shuffled nervously as she waited for Bubblegum to arrive. She had aged down to match the young princess, and hoped it was okay. True, she had done it before, but this was different. This was a date. _A date with Bonni…oh glob, Marceline, what have you got yourself into? _

Marceline had been hanging out with Bonni a couple nights ago when the pink girl simply sprung this on her like no big deal…as if the two of them dating and going out together was the most common and normal thing in the world. _I mean…its weird right? I mean, I've known her since forever…but maybe it isn't weird. Maybe it's like natural? _

To further add nerves to the situation, Marceline was well aware that no one even knew that she and the Princess hung out as much as they did, though they were aware of the friendship (and disliked it), and she was more than sure that this date was a complete and utter secret. In addition to the proposal, that Marceline had almost _too _readily accepted, Bonnibel had insisted that one of them must play the boy, and that that one of them was to be Marceline. _Maybe this whole thing is just a weird curiosity…Glob, what do I know? I haven't gone on a date in decades! I don't date! Are you supposed to date at fourteen? I suppose it's an okay age…_

Mind turning over and over in anxiety and nerves and butterflies that she hadn't felt in so long, she couldn't even remember the last time, Marceline stood at the edge of the apple orchard, under the biggest tree, waiting. Assuming the role of the 'boy' to a tee, Marceline had dressed in a casual suit. A button up white shirt with black slacks, polished dress shoes, and a black vest and bow-tie made up her look, but the red kerchief in her front pocket completed it. In addition to this flair of color, she had pulled her hair back loosely and tied it with a ribbon that held the same blood-red color as the little addition.

She had decided that unless the evening required flight, she would be grounded. So she stood, feet shuffling, with a dozen long-stem roses in her hand, waiting. As seconds that seemed like hours passed by, Marceline couldn't help but glance down at the flowers. She was a nervous eater, and she had never been more nervous in her very extended life time. _Get a hold of yourself; you are Marceline the Vampire Queen! You fear nothing! Except completely messing up on this date! And making Bonni hate you for eternity for messing up her first date in her life!_

She unconsciously brought the central rose to her tooth and bit down, draining it of its color but not draining her of any anxiety. Just then, she heard a rustle coming up from just the other side of the tree. She cleared her throat several times over and stood with renewed posture as Bubblegum came into her view.

The candy princess was beautiful. True, she was only fourteen, but physically, so was Marceline at that point, so she figured there was nothing weird about it. The girl wore a dress that caught her developing curves and ended at the knee. Her hair was only half pulled back, and the slightly darker pink of the dress made her skin glow. She smiled upon seeing Marceline, whose mouth hung just slightly open at the sight of her. "Hello, Marceline. You are looking very dapper this evening."

Marceline, not so much playing the awkward boy but being it, simply shoved the roses at Bubblegum, blushing wildly and casting her eyes down to the floor. _Okay…so we're going to go on a date. And okay, I've known her since she was like, five, but that's not new. I'm a thousand years old. Also okay, she's beautiful and I really like her and am so glad this is happening. Okay…let's do this. Suave: on, Marceline!_

Bubblegum took the roses and giggled at her behavior. She smelled them lightly, then asked, with amusement in her voice, "Marceline, why is one of them grey?"

The vampire gulped in embarrassment. "I…I was so nervous waiting for you that I ate it…I'm sorry…I totally suck at this…" Marceline was feeling like a failure already, and hated to think that the date was over before it had even begun. _Suave: on? Try suave: eternally off and never returning because what in Ooo made you think you were suave to begin with? _

"No! Marci I like it. It's more you, after all. I also like you…being my age for this…you…you mean a lot to me Marceline." Bubble gum looked shyly down, and the words bolstered the older girl back up as she cleared her throat.

"So Princess Bubblegum, it is my royal pleasure to be your date this evening. Would you mind telling me what you had in mind?" She took a step closer to her date and smiled warmly down at her, still just slightly taller.

"Marci!" she exclaimed, "You're the boy! You are supposed to plan the date!"

"But-but…!" Marceline scrambled for words, "But _you_ asked _me_ out, making you in charge of like, date-planning! Anyway doesn't the boy ask the girl out anyway?" A shocked look crossed the pink girl's face. "No! No no no no no! You are not the boy nor are you a boy at all I just-! Oh glob, this is totally sucking…I am totally sucking! Ugh!"

She fell to the ground, sitting criss-cross and gazing glumly down at her shiny shoes. "I'm so sorry, Bonni…I haven't done this in ages and I kind of like…really like you. Like, _like you_, like you. And here I am having like, totally ruined our date."

Bubblegum crouched down next to her without sitting. "It's okay Marceline. I mean, the miscommunication was totally my fault anyway. I can see how you'd be confused. It's okay…"

Upon hearing those words from her candy date, Marceline stood up with resilience, feeling bigger than she was. "You know what? It's not okay! This is your first date ever and our first date together and dag-gone-it it's going to be like, totally awesome!" Marceline wracked her brain for all the things she could do with Bonni, and finally found the perfect answer for the science oriented girl. _It's like…totally perfect!_ A huge grin of success took up her face, and she grabbed Bubblegum's hands. "Listen, Bonni, I have like, the most perfect dates of perfect dates. But we have to fly there, are you okay with that?"

Upon hearing the date was, indeed, happening, a smile spread across the candy girl's face, and she just nodded at whatever Marceline was saying. She didn't really thing about it until she was flying high above the ground, being held bridal-style in the taller girl's arms. "M-M-Marceline! This is-I'm like-Could you hurry!" She stammered, and clung fiercely to her flier's neck.

"Just hang on and don't be afraid. I've totally got you." _You'll be glad when we get there, I promise._

It was a bit of a long flight, and while Marceline enjoyed the view of Ooo passing below her, Bubblegum enjoyed the warmth coming from Marceline's neck, as her eyes were pressed firmly shut and her face was shoved up against it.

Eventually, the two came to land at a place Bubblegum had never seen before. She looked around at the area, gathering that they were atop some sort of large hill or mountain, though she wasn't cold, and there was a strange fog all around. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "Marceline, where are we? I don't understand…"

Smiling in excitement, she began to explain. "We're on Cloud Mountain. It's the only place in all of Ooo where the tip of the mountain breeches the clouds without it being like, totally way to cold to do anything. In fact, it's usually quite warm." She smiled, hoping the answers would click into Bonni's head on their own.

But it was not to be. "Marci…I still don't understand…" She shook her head.

The Vampire Queen walked up to her and took both pink hands in her own bluish ones. "Bonnibel…it's the only place in all of Ooo that always has the most beautiful and unobstructed and perfect view of the stars."

Marceline didn't let her eyes wander away from the girl as she watched Bubblegum look up and a look of sheer and utter amazement dawned on her face. On Cloud Mountain, it wasn't as though you were looking at the stars; it was almost as though you were swimming in them. The low hanging pillows of water gave it all an other-worldly feel and Bonni pulled one hand away and reached out, as if to touch the spots of bright burning light. "Oh Marceline…" She whispered in reverence, not wishing to disturb the magic quality the place possessed, "It's too perfect…"

Finally exhaling the breath she hadn't known she was holding, Marceline lay on the warm grass and pulled Bonni down with her to gaze up at the sky together. "Only the best for you, my princess," She said.

Bubblegum spent a large majority of time spouting fact after fact about stars and about how they were and what they were speculated to be and such. Eventually, she got around to naming the constellations.

Now, Marceline couldn't place the stars, but she totally knew the stories behind them, and was shocked to find that Bonni had no idea that there even _were_ stories behind them. She had just assumed the young princess knew everything. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. A lot of things were lost after the Mushroom War, and apparently, that was just one of those things. It reminded Marceline how old she was, but did not put a damper on her mood. She was just so happy to be there with Bubblegum looking up at the stars that she could not have cared less how long she had lived for.

The night seemed to go so slowly, but really it flew by, with Bubblegum naming a constellation and pointing it out to Marceline, who told the story behind it. The time that had moved by so slowly soon found the moos almost at the edge of the horizon. It was lucky that they had run out of constellations at that point, or the sun would have risen and Marceline would have been burned. Smiling brightly at each other, the two flew back to Bonnibel's palace. With a corny, "Let me walk you to your door," Marceline carried them to the Princess' bedroom balcony and landed in front of the large glass doors.

She put Bubblegum down, and smiled sheepishly. "Did I do okay?" She asked.

"Oh Marceline…it was more than wonderful. It was perfect." Bonnibel smiled. "And it was with you…which made it even better."

If Marceline could have turned into a tomato at that point, she was sure she would have. She cleared her throat a little awkwardly. "I had…I had the best time too, Bonni. So…what now?" she asked expectantly.

"Well…I'd say we are dating, Marceline. Though I would like to think of you as a girl, if that's okay, dapper as you look. Neither of us has to be the 'boy'. And in a few dates from now, hopefully we will be girlfriends, another reason to completely drop the 'boy' thing. Though, of course, we must keep this a secret. I don't think Peppermint Butler would approve at all, let alone Lady…but maybe one day we might-"

Marceline put a hand over Bubblegum's mouth with a quiet laugh. "You're rambling. And I didn't mean that…all that we can figure out later. What I meant was…do I…do I get a kiss?" Suddenly not nervous anymore, Marceline gave a soft, one-sided smile. _It doesn't matter if I get one tonight…she said more dates and girlfriends and maybe telling people. Kisses are sure to come later. More dates with Bonni…_she smiled widely at the thought.

"Oh…" Bubblegum said, and then reddened completely at the question. "_Oh…_!" she cleared her throat and repositioned herself, as though preparing for a pre-ordained speech, which is what it was. "Marceline, I had a most lovely evening, but a lady does not kiss until the third date." She nodded firmly, and Marceline laughed.

"That's fine, Bonni," she began to hover, preparing to go home before the sun rose. "I'll catch you later." She swooped down and placed a short sweet kiss on the girl's cheek and flew off in the direction of her house, leaving a giddy, flustered, hand-on-cheek Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum standing on her balcony.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**ALLLLL RIIIIIIIIIGHT! This lovely and cute suggestion comes from _Monochrome Masquerade_ who (after proposing marriage) asked, 'What was their first date like?' Now it may be just me, but I love the idea of Marceline in a suit-like outfit, so that had to be in there, and poof! First date came out. Thanks!**

*****Please continue to review and suggest, I like so much to write what others want to read, and it's really interesting how inspiration can take hold from that!*****

**-JD**


	6. A Monster

Chapter 6: A Monster

Princess Bubblegum had been kidnapped.

Now, the young girl was no fool, as much as the strange, bluish-whitish old man told her that he was simply taking her to meet some new friends, she knew she was being kidnapped. What's more, she knew far better than to fight it. He was much bigger than she and seemed to have a magic crown that allowed him super powers. But Princess Bubblegum was not completely helpless.

_I am royalty and I will not allow him to treat me in such a way! I'm going to kick this…butt and get the glob out of here!_ She thought to herself as the Ice King locked her in a cell. She felt rather proud of herself for using such foul language to describe the man, even if it was only in her thoughts. The bad words made her feel like a big kid, and like she had some control in this situation.

_Okay. Analyze the situation. This man is clearly disturbed and there must be a way out of here. What's more, Peppermint Butler would be so mad if he knew I was dressed in one of my best outfits when tromping around Ooo and freezing in this cell._ She crossed her arms as a chill ran through her and let out a 'humph'. She half listened as the man went on and on about waiting until she was older and then marrying her and how she'd lead a great life in the cell.

But Bonni was quickly losing patience, and when five-year-olds lose patience, tantrums ensue. _I must present myself royally at all times!_ She tried to convince herself. But as much as she tried, she was five, cold, tired, slightly afraid, and very stubborn. She stomped her foot and began to yell over the rambling old man. "Listen here, you…jerk! I am a Princess and my people are going to be so mad when they find out you took me! So you let me go _right now_ or I'll scream!"

This got the Ice King's attention and he walked over to the cell. "Now, now, Princess…do you want a toy? Or a Dolly?" He asked, not really knowing how to handle a child.

"A dolly is a toy! I wanna go home!" she began to yell, and repeated it over and over. The Ice King, scrambling for some sort of solution, opened the cell door in hopes to comfort the screaming child. _The door's open! This is my chance!_ Bubblegum thought, noticing the man's foolishness. He walked over to her, and she stomped down fiercely on his foot, making him hop around, and then kicked him hard in the other shin, sending him toppling. She grabbed the crown off his head and threw it across the room, closing the cell door behind her.

She ran out of the palace and started off through the Ice Kingdom, her little feet and arms freezing off. She began to cry as the place seemed to go on forever and ever. _Compose yourself! You'll make it home!_ But no amount of thinking could make the tears stop flowing down her face and the sniffles from her sadness go away.

She finally reached the end of the Ice Kingdom, and all but collapsed from sadness: she could not see her home from here, and had no idea which way to turn, so she just began to walk. Miserably, she continued on, in hopes that she would run into someone and they would tell her the way back to her lovely, happy, colorful, warm Candy Kingdom.

But she didn't. And as darkness fell over Ooo, she realized she needed a place to stay. _I am lost forever! No one will find me! And I'll die! And decompose! And there will be no ruler for my people! And I just wanna go home!_ She thought, wandering into a cave and curling up in a corner. _And my favorite dress is all ruined! And I'm so cold! And it's dark and scary in here._

She continued to sob and wretch for several minutes until her tears had completely run dry. Sniffling her last couple sniffles, Bubblegum glanced around her lodging for the night. There was nothing remarkable about the cave, though an 'm' was carved into a flat rock against the far wall._ This is no place for a princess!_ She thought to herself, but she didn't really have much choice. It was either stay safe in the cave or go out and have to face all the creatures and evil things that come out at night to eat little candy girls.

She got up and walked around the space a little, not tired at all. As she walked up to inspect the M rock, she heard a voice say, "Hey. What are you doing in my cave?"

Petrified beyond measure, the little girl turned around slowly, shaking in her skin. She eventually faced a girl, and she took stock of her appearance._ Blue skin, pointy ears, floating, sharp teeth…_She let out an ear splitting scream. "A monster! A monster! Don't eat me! Help! Help!"

All the while, Marceline was trying to calm the little girl down. Reaching her wit's end, she shape-shifted back into a five-year-old and let out a stern "Hey!"

The sharpness of Marceline's voice paused Bubblegum's screeching frenzy. She looked around, confused. "Did you see the monster? She's going to eat me! Where'd she go?" _At least there's another kid here instead of that…that…thing!_

The other little girl shook her head. "Silly…it's _me_. And I'll have you know that I am the Vampire Queen. And I just wanted to ask you why you were here! You look like a candy person to me, and the candy kingdom is quite a ways a way from here."

Bubblegum took a couple of frightened steps back. "Y-y-you're the monster? But-but…you were big a second ago!"

Marceline laughed. "I'm a super powerful vampire. I can shape-shift. Look, don't be afraid…I just want to help you get home."

_She…wants to help me?_ Bubblegum was very confused. "But if you are a vampire…you don't want to eat me?"

"Eat you? No! You look scared enough as it is without me adding that factor into the mix. I don't _need_ to eat people anyway…I only do what's fun. No I won't eat you."

Bubblegum found herself strangely offended. "What, am I not tasty-looking enough for you?"

The vampire girl gave a bout of huge laughter. "You're _upset_ that I don't want to eat you?" She laughed even harder. "Oh come on, Pinkie, you have to be joking!"

Bubblegum puffed up at the silly nickname, infuriated. "Is that any way to treat a Princess? Just who do you think you are?" She put her hands fiercely on her hips, wishing to intimidate the other girl.

"Oh-ho-ho!" Marceline said in fake fright, shifting slowly back into her normal body. "Is this any way to treat a Queen, little one? Besides…" She vanished and reappeared behind Bubbegum. "What if I just ate?" She hissed in the little girl's ear, flicking her tongue out, and listened as she gave a scream, chuckling a little to herself. When the girl calmed down, she walked over and held out a hand, "Come on, and let's get you home, Pinkie."

Bubblegum crossed her arms in defiance. "It's _Princess_. Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum and I most certainly will not be going home with a monster vampire! What would Peppermint think?"

The older girl hummed. "Well…my name is Marceline, not 'monster vampire' and I think your Peppermint would be happy to have you home, wouldn't he? Either that or you can, under my courtesy, stay in my cave tonight; though I don't think it would be very comfortable for you…" Bubblegum humphed again. "Come on now, Princess, don't be like that. I'm sorry for scaring you. Let's be friends, okay?" Marceline said, crouching down and extending her hand.

Bubblegum turned to face the girl, studying her, who was smiling kindly at her. _Now that I look at her, she doesn't seem so scary at all. Look, she isn't even wearing scary clothes or anything. She's just floating there, and she wants to be by friend._ Bubblegum didn't have any friends back at the palace, and Lumpy Space Princess was only allowed over on rare occasions, and she found herself kind-of liking the mysterious girl before her. "Okay, we'll be friends. But you must promise to visit at least every week and tell me everything I want to know!" she commanded, in her most princess-y comanding voice.

Marceline laughed, and Bubble gum was confused as to why. Nothing she had said was funny at all. Still, she was pleased when she heard the vampire say, "Yes your royal highness, I'll stop by and be your friend. Now let me take you home?" Marceline smirked a little at the audacity of the child before her.

Bubblegum nodded her head in consent, and Marceline crouched in front of her, back turned, in indication for a piggy back ride. Bubblegum, being a young child after all, scrambled onto the Vampire Queen's back, giggling. "Hold on tight!" She heard Marceline say, and soon, the pair was flying.

As the wandered at a slow and steady pace over Ooo, Bubblegum couldn't help but think that it was the best piggy-back she ever got. "Are you going to apologize for yelling and screaming and calling me a monster?" Marceline questioned playfully.

"Of course not! You frightened me very much! Besides, I did nothing wrong!" Marceline simply shook her head, chuckling. They landed in front of the castle gates, but still Bubblegum stayed on Marceline's back, and the vampire simply smiled to herself, not minding at all.

Bubblegum found it very strange, however, that there were no guards hanging about, so as Marceline walked in, she began calling out to her butler. "Peppermint! Peppermint I'm home!" But still no one answered. Both sets of eyebrows furrowed, and Bubblegum felt the body below her tense up. Marceline was prepared for some sort of attack, though that was completely lost on the young girl currently clinging to her shoulders. "Peppermint?" She called again, and a shuffling was heard from behind them.

Marceline turned around quickly, eyes turning to flame and hissing madly, startling the poor butler back with a small scream. Bubblegum simply shouted, "Peppermint!" and hopped off of Marceline, who had immediately calmed at the young girl's familiarity to the man.

"Princess, thank heavens! We have every guard out looking for you! Are you uninjured? What happened?" He turned to Marceline, shoving Bubblegum behind himself and putting up his fists as though to attack the Vampire. "Did you take the Princess? Why you filth! Did your conscious get the better of you, you monster?" He danced around a little, and Marceline simply put her hands up in defense.

"No way, dude! I just brought her back home! She was crying in my cave!"

"Of course she was, because you kidnapped her, you trash!" He took a couple of swings in the air, as if to intimidate the much bigger, stronger, shape-shifting, vampiric girl.

"Peppermint!" Bubblegum interrupted sternly, more than a little annoyed and upset at his rudeness to her new friend, "She saved me! And she is not trash or filth, she is my friend! She is Merce…Marcil…" She could not pronounce the hard name.

"It's okay, just call me Marci." The vampire assisted, and Bubblegum nodded.

"Right! She is Marci the Vampire Queen and she is my friend and will be visiting every week!"

The butler was shocked at this, and turned to the girl and said, "But Princess! To associate with such…such riff-raff!"

"She is not riff-raff and I will associate with whomever I wish! I am a Princess, after all, and I can do as I please!" she said, eying the butler square on challengingly.

The little man floundered. "But-but…! But she is much older than you! You should have friends your own age, Princess!"

Bubblegum scoffed a little. "She can shape-shift into my age. There is no problem. Now go on and say sorry, Peppermint."

He turned back to Marceline and quietly mumbled a begrudged apology. "Now off you go Peppermint, and fetch all the guards back. Hopefully they will have learned their lesson and do a better job next time." The little man bowed to the Princess and glared at the Queen, then quickly walked off.

Bubblegum walked up to Marceline, who crouched down. "Now we will be very best friends and have lots of fun and talk about science and history and experiments!" She attacked the older girl's neck in a hug, which was quickly returned with a laugh. "Thank you very much Marci…and the very first thing I want to do as friends is learn to say your whole name because it's so pretty!" She exclaimed, and Marceline laughed again, noticing how the little girl in her arms could go from stern royal to child-like in a few seconds.

As the hug ended, Marceline remained crouched. Confidently and playfully, she said, "All right, Bonni. You and me, we'll do all those things, starting with my name. But tonight, I have to go home. I'll see you in a few days, okay?"

Bubblegum deflated a little. She really liked the vampire girl. "Aw…do you have to go Marci? Best friends do sleep-overs! We'll do a sleep-over!" She hopped up and down a little.

"We'll do lots of sleep-overs. But not on the night when the whole kingdom is worried about their little Princess, okay? You let everyone fuss over you for a few days and then I'll come back and we'll do the best sleep-over ever, I promise."

Bubblegum nodded furiously and hugged Marceline again. Laughing a little, she let the young princess go. "All right, I'm off, Bonni. I'll see you in a few days." She began to fly off, and Bubblegum waved just as furiously as she nodded, saying goodbye upon goodbye before she realized something.

"Oh and Marci?" she yelled up at the girl.

"Yeah?"

"You have to be my age for our sleep-over, okay?"

Marceline laughed. "Anything you want, Princess! Anything you want!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Yay! Another chapter up and running! This one comes from both _Shadowfox_ and _Rosswellmorgana_ who wanted to know 'How Marceline and PB first met' I think it's pretty good, and I find myself really enjoying writing this fic! Thanks to you both!**

*****************NOW, I DON'T WANT THE STEM OF SUGGESTIONS TO END, SO KEEP EM COMING! IT'S REALLY FUN FOR ME!****************

**I'm actually really liking not only writing but re-reading this! Which is something I usually hate. (My own writing...ugh) I think it'll turn M soon...I have this line in my head where Marceline says "Y'know, Bonni...Pink is a shade of red, too..." And of course, Marceline eats shades of red(scandalous!). So dirty,. Tell me what you think! Thanks all!**

**-JD**


	7. AshHole

Chapter 7: Ash-hole

Marceline was lying on Bonnibel's oh-so-fluffy mattress with her feet at the headboard, the exact inverse of the pink girl who lay next to her. For this night, she had decided not to match the thirteen-year-old, but to instead remain her tall, eighteen-year-old self, and Bonnibel didn't mind in the least. She hummed mildly into the air, enjoying the pleasant silence that surrounded them.

_There is no place I'd rather be than right here, having a bagillionth sleep-over with Bonni. _Marceline thought, smiling and laughing inwardly about the vivid memory of a very young Princess demanding weekly visits and doing lost of sleep-overs. _She hasn't changed much…still as commanding, still stern then kind, still demanding sleep-overs and more-than weekly visits. _But to say Marceline would have it any other way would be a complete and total lie. She loved hanging out with the girl. In fact, she might just love the girl herself, though the tough-as-nails Vampire Queen would never admit it to herself, let alone to anyone else, and she'd simply die all over again if she ever told Bonni.

Still, thinking of the girl caused warm tingly feelings that Marceline was very unused to to cloud her mind and make everything fuzzy. _No! No fuzziness! Death and soul-sucking demons and killer plants and decay and hard core metal! And…and maybe I'll take Bonni to a concert sometime…_ Marceline thought, frustrating herself with the ooey-gooey feelings rushing through her head.

Attraction was a whole other bag of beans. She was _not_ attracted to the thirteen-year-old Bubblegum, at least not when she was her usual age. But when she shape-shifted down to match the far younger girl, it was as though her brain adopted the younger laws of attraction. She was thirteen physically, so was Bonni, so it was okay. At least, it was okay according to her body. It was definitely not okay, and she totally knew that, but the younger mindset coupled with over nine hundred ninety years of adult thoughts and experiences led to some rather inappropriate trains of thought. Well, she _knew_ it was inappropriate, her body and mind seemed to miss that little detail.

So lately it had become her habit to remain herself around Bonnibel Bubblegum, taking into account that when she was her own physical age, she only thought the girl cute in a younger-sister let-me-pinch-your-cheeks kind of way. _Still…she's growing up…in a few more years she'll match my biologically if not chronologically and then what? I'm totally going to have to like, tone down crazy or she'll think I'm a total freak. Bonni and I? Even in the future when I'm sure she'll be all curvaceous and smokin' hot…Gah! Death, decay, and diseases!_

Just as Marceline tried to purge her all-too impure thoughts of what she would do to a slightly older version of Bubblegum, the current version cleared her throat and placed her book aside. Marceline raised her head a little, indicating that she was listening. The princess cleared her throat again, and her face reddened a little, which Marceline noticed curiously. "Marci…have you ever…been on a date?" The princess asked, as if it were too bold (which to her, it was).

Marceline looked at her a moment and, realizing she was serious, erupted into hysterics, which only caused the girl to get angry, flustered, and even more red. _Dates? I'm a thousand years old and she wonders-? Oh glob! Oh man that is like, too funny! _Gasping for air and swiping tears from her eyes, she took stock of the girl before her. "I-I'm like…sorry Bonni!" She gave hiccupping laughs between her words. "I'm not-I'm not laughing at you it's just-its just-!" And all over again, she curled into herself, unable to fight the laughter.

Bubblegum was furious. She drew up her legs to criss cross and covered her chest with her arms, huffing heavily. "Really, Marceline, that is nothing to laugh at." She said with a twinge of anger, though remaining diplomatic, as her title required. "I merely asked a question and you had to go and laugh at me. I'm a scientist; there are things I want to know." Of course, this last part was only partially true. Yes, she was a scientist; and yes, there were things she wanted to know, though the two had really nothing to do with each other.

Gasping out her last few laughs, Marceline took a few deep breaths before deciding to humor the pouting Princess. _What harm can it do? She's at that age…she'll start liking boys and going out and kissing and like…whatever… _Marceline inwardly cringed at the thought. _Better she learn some stuff from me beforehand I guess._ She prepared herself for what she was sure was going to be a long conversation involving many questions and interruptions. She sat herself up so she could look at the curious girl as they spoke. "Yes, Bonnibel, I have been on dates." She answered, with slight condescension, figuring it should have been common sense at this point. After all, Bonni knew how old she was. "And I'm sorry I laughed," She continued, "I just thought it was cute. I'm over a thousand, Bonni. Of course I've been on dates."

Immediately dropping all her anger, Bubblegum turned to the older and far-more-experienced girl before her, hands on the mattress and staring intently at her. "When was your last one? What was it like? Who was it with? What do you do?"

Marceline laughed. "Whoa, Bonni. One question at a time, okay? Um…my last one would have been…like…I don't know, seventy years ago?"

The pink girl's eyes opened in shock. "So long ago? But…objectively you're very beautiful, so you should have no troubles finding dates!" She blushed, realizing she had spoken before she thought.

_Huh…so she thinks I'm beautiful. _Marceline smirked a little. "Yeah well…after so long, dating just gets boring. All it is really is the race you run, when everyone is trying to get to the goal. It got old, so mostly I just cheat and go straight to the goal without the run involved."

Bonnibel raised an eyebrow, "The goal?"

The vampire coughed, realizing her mistake. "Uh…um…the goal is…a kiss!" She nodded. "Yeah a kiss, and it sure takes like, a lot to get there. I mean, it totally should take a lot to get there! But I know what I need and I do what I want how I want and for the past seventy-ish years I've like, skipped the race. No big. Moral codes get lost when you live so long, so now it's totally not a problem."

Bubblegum scooted even closer to her friend. "But one _should_ wait, yes? And anyway tell me what one is like and what happens and how you act and-!" Her excitement got the better of her.

Marceline laughed again at the girl's eagerness. "One should _definitely _wait. At least three dates. Okay, what it's like? Well…the last date I went on totally sucked cabbages. It was with some guy from the Night-um…from home. And well, guys from there aren't really the best." She said, deciding that if she told Bonni where she hailed from, research and promptly fear outrage and disgust would ensue. "Anyways it was with some guy named Drake or something and he took me to a restaurant, which wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't used a coupon." She mused.

"A coupon? What's so bad about that? Doesn't it save money?"

The vampire shook her head at the innocence of the princess. "Do you want a guy to take you out just because he can save money, or do you want a guy to take you out because he wants to take you out and is willing to pay for it and be a gentleman?" She asked.

"Oh…the latter, I should think." Bonnibel hadn't thought of it that way. All around, she was very practical, but now she could understand how using a coupon could be seen as disrespectful.

"Right so after that he took me to a concert and flirted with a bunch of other girls there. Then this jerk had like, the audacity to try and get me to slee-" She coughed, trying to cover her mistake, "To kiss him and I was like 'No way! You are a total skeez!' And that was the end of all my dating."

Bubblegum nodded slowly, humming to process the information of Marceline's bad date. Storing the conclusions she had drawn away in her file-box brain, she moved on to her next line of questioning. "So…what should a good date be like?"

The Vampire Queen opened and closed her mouth a few times, thinking hard for the appropriate answer. "I–I couldn't tell you, Bonni. A good date varies from person to person. Like, one person make like running with wolves while another like beach-side picnics, y'know? It's like, whatever you imagine doing with the person you like most, whatever makes you feel happy and good and fuzzy." She nodded; entirely satisfied with the answer she had given.

Bubblegum, on the other hand, was not pleased. Her curiosity was insatiable, and the vague answer only caused frustration. "Marci you need to be more specific!"

But the Vampire simply shook her head. "I'm sorry Princess, that's as much as I can tell you. I've had a lot of good dates and a lot of bad dates and they've all been completely different. There is no formula, little miss scientist. I guess though, it would be a nice person that you like and them being courteous and thoughtful and attentive to you. Sorry." Bubblegum humphed a little, still dissatisfied, but Marceline had questions of her own. "Anyway, Princess, what brought this on? Do you have…a _crush_?" she teased, and laughed as the other girl turned beet red. "All right, spill, pinkie! Who is it?"

Of course, Bubblegum was in no way going to tell the vampire that she was her crush, so she diverted the topic. "Have you ever had a boyfriend?" She asked shyly, realizing that maybe Marceline had never been with a girl.

Marceline, for her part, decided to drop her own line of questioning. Really, she did it just to make the other girl less embarrassed. _When Bonni's happy, I'm happy._ She thought. "Oh…um…yeah I actually had one not too long ago, I-"

"What?" Bubblegum interrupted. "But you said you hadn't been on a date in seventy years!"

"Oh Ash and I didn't _date_. We were…um…roommates. Yeah, roommates who did a lot of kissing. It was all for fun until he started bossing me around and junk. I took a lot of un-coolness from him…" She said, dancing lightly around the concept of having a live-in bed partner. _She is way too young for that…_

"He wasn't a good boyfriend?" Bubblegum asked, furious (and more than a little bit jealous) at the man who had not only had Marceline, but who had treated her poorly, and whom she had never met. Why should bean poles get to kiss Marceline when she couldn't? She scowled inwardly.

"Yeah no…he like, totally sucked. But I was like whatever about it. He called me lots of names and bossed me around and told me to clean and get sandwiches for him all the time. That, and he totally didn't bring anything into the house money-wise so it was like, super one-sided. He was a real jerk. But I was like, infatuated or something." Marceline said, frowning at the thought and her own foolishness.

"So why did you break up with him?" Bubblegum asked, glad that the boy was out of the picture.

_Well there's a sore subject…_Marceline thought, and opted for the suitably vague answer. "He…he lost something very important to me and I never forgave him…and never will."

Bubblegum just hummed, sensing the Vampire's discomfort about the subject, and moved on to what she really wanted to know. "And…I mean you've lived a lot so…have you like…ever been with a girl?" She squeaked, wishing that she could hide in plain sight.

_Oh I get it…_Marceline put a reassuring hand on Bubblegum's shoulder, which (unbeknownst to her) caused Bubblegum's heart to flutter in her chest. "Yeah, Bubblegum, I totally have, and it is _totally _fine and normal and okay. I've been with girls almost as much as boys. Anyways, I think I know what this is about…" Bubblegum eeped. "It's Lumpy Space Princess, isn't it?" She said, a sly, curious, devilish smirk appearing on her face. "I had a feeling you had something with her! I could like, totally tell! Whenever you two are together it's all like…touchy and huggy!" Marceline put her finger up in presumed correctness and confidence.

Bubblegum just laughed nervously, not giving a yes or a no. She didn't want to say that she could never touch Marceline that way, because her heart guts would explode, and that she touched LSP that way because they were just best friends. So she just laughed. A silence washed over them for a moment, before Bubblegum decided to jump back to an old topic out of nervous, embarrassed desperation. "I'm glad you think its okay…and that boy Ash sounds like a real patoot."

Marceline smiled, "Yeah he was a total ass-hole." She said, feeling the archaic phrase wonderfully appropriate.

"Ass-hole?" Bonni questioned, having never heard it before.

"Oh! It's from back when there were humans. Ass means butt, only more intense. And ass-hole is like…calling someone a cabbage-licking patoot jerk butt times ten. Only easier to say." She lay back down on the bed, feet once again hitting the head board.

"Oh…well than yes, he was an 'a-s-s-h-o-l-e'." she said, trying the word out. Then giggling, she added, "One could say a real _Ash_-hole." Bubblegum, quite bravely, decided to lie on the older girl's stomach. It was the most they had touched since she was very little, and it caused her to feel happy and good and fuzzy. She wondered that if just hanging out with Marceline felt so wonderful, what a date would feel like. She decided that one day, she would find the gumption to ask the vampire out, and the whole experience would be so mathematical that she could just die from the fuzziness of it all.

Marceline groaned, laughing a little at the sheer corniness, which in turn shook Bubblegum's head up and down on her tummy. "Yeah Bonni, a real Ash-hole." She said, and with that, she placed a hand on the Princess' head, softly running fingers over sticky hair.

Bubblegum felt her heart melt, and knew instantly that Marceline was for her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Alright! Another chapter completed, and what's more, I'm mildly satisfied with it! *confetti* So both _Shadowfox_ and_ Monochrome Masquerade _asked '...did she ever hear about or meet Ash?' Which I happily obliged with a resounding 'yes!' Of course, I could always do another Ash chapter later, when they are older, and I might. But be forewarned, my filthy, dirty, mind is still forcing very naughty Bubbline scenes into my head (can you tell?) Anywho, thanks to you both for that!**

**_*******KEEP THOSE ALL TOO WONDERFUL SUGGESTIONS FLOWING!*******_**

**Have a most exquisite day! **

**-JD**

**(PS. If I could draw, I would draw these two _so hard all the time every day_.)**


	8. The Heart's Desire

Chapter 8: The Heart's Desire

Bubblegum paced about her room anxiously. It had been almost two weeks since she had heard from Marceline. _Fourteen days, two hours, and twenty-seven minutes_, she thought (not that she'd been counting). Sure, Marceline often vanished for a few days, but never for so long, and never without leaving Bubblegum a little not first.

So Bubblegum paced. _You know what though? I'm sure it's nothing. After all, I have councils that I have to conduct for days at a time…I mean it's only like two days at a time and everyone knows where I am but I'm sure this is normal! After all, she is a vampire queen, it must just be that their customs are very different from our own and require more time and more…vampiric junk. _Of course this last thought flung violent images of people tearing each other apart into her head while shape-shifting to bite heads off and the like.

This caused the Princess to feel a little light headed, and she sat down at her vanity. _Now, now, Marceline is a royal! I'm sure all of her meetings are very diplomatic. That's how royalty acts…but then, Marceline doesn't really conduct herself like royalty or dress like royalty or speak like royalty so there is no way that their royalty is the same as ours which means there is blood and heart guts and vampire beheadings and__–__!_ She let her head fall heavily onto the dresser as a barrage of images portraying a very mutilated and dead Marceline invaded her nervous mind. She felt like crying.

Just then, there was a faint tapping at the window of her balcony. So faint, she thought it was her imagination playing tricks on her. She had herself so thoroughly convinced Marceline was lying dead somewhere in her unknown homeland that she didn't notice the chilled, exhausted girl outside the window, who knocked again, harder, to catch her attention. Finally, after practically pounding the glass out of the framing, Bubblegum looked up from her vanity to see Marceline outside, waving, with a smirk on her face.

The princess rushed over and flung the doors open and backed up as Marceline slumped her way inside the room. Once she reached the center of the chamber, she let her axe bass drop unceremoniously to the ground and sighed, giving a soft, "Hey, Bonnibel."

At that, Bubblegum jumped and flung her arm around the older girl, squeezing what would have been the life right out of her. Realizing the difficulties the princess was having, Marceline said, "Here, let me help you with that," And chuckled as she shrunk down to fifteen, and only an inch or two taller than Bubblegum rather than four or so. Bubblegum clung desperately to her neck, as though to make sure Marceline was really there after all. The vampire hugged back, but eventually pried the younger girl off of her, making to sit on the bed. It was at this time that Bonni took stock of Marceline's appearance.

She looked well-worn and almost haggard. Definitely exhausted, and by the state of her clothes, like she hadn't changed in the two weeks she'd been away. She sat down on the bed next to Marceline, and, with concern and more than a bit of annoyance in her voice, asked, "Where have you been?"

Marceline took a deep breath and sighed. "I had to go home and take care of some Vampire business. They're a stubborn bunch so it takes a while…" She lied. In fact, Bonnibel's imagination hadn't been far off. Marceline split her time between Ooo and the Night-O-Sphere and a couple of groups of would-be usurpers tried to take her throne from her. Of course, she had to go and reassert her power which led to a big fight that lasted almost two weeks followed by public humiliations. Sure, she had dealt with small attempts at stealing her throne before, that was how one came into power in the Night-O-Sphere, but she hadn't had to deal with anything this severe in several hundred years. Most were very pleased with the way things were run. But this was an assassination-attempts-at-night situation, though Bonni would never find out about that.

Bonnibel hugged her tight, and Marceline laughed. "Could you tell me next time, you ruffian? I thought something bad had happened to you like the other vampires tried to kill you or mutilate you or feed your body to some wild animals or something horrible like that!"

Marceline laughed again, which caused the princess to go red. "I know I should have told you and I'm sorry. Really I am. Look, I even brought you something back as part of my apology!" She took a small pack off her back and pulled out a shirt. "I know it really isn't your style, but it's a tee shirt from my favorite band, Exquisite Corpse from their latest album Sweet, Sweet, Death. I mean…I didn't know what to get you in apology so I figured something that would remind you of me while I'm away. I mean, I was going to get you something pretty or some junk like that, but you're like, a princess and all, so I figure you could have anything your heart desires and-"

Bubblegum cut her off with a searing kiss. All through Marceline's nervous monologue, she had been overwhelmed with happiness and a certain giddiness that she had never felt before, and the more she kissed Marceline, the more the fuzzy became sort of a heated burn, in a good way. She pulled away for a moment and rested her head against Marceline's. "You are what my heart desires, Marci…" she whispered, and pressed her lips to the vampires slightly chilled one's yet again, pushing her down onto the bed.

The princess knew what was happening, she did. But as she let her hands and lips begin to explore the girl beneath her, her mind drew a complete and wonderful blank. _Marceline was right after all…reading and doing are oh so very different._ And that was the last thought Bonni had, as a long serpentine tongue entered her mouth and played with her own expertly. She moaned, and grabbed onto Marceline's shirt, all too aware that the vampire knew exactly what she was doing. Still, she wanted to touch Marceline first. She had wanted to for so long, and so, she pulled out of the mind-boggling kiss and yanked Marceline's shirt up over her head, placing curious hands on a taut stomach.

Eyes wide with appreciation, she gazed upon her soon-to-be lover for a moment, before leaning down and whispering lightly into her ear, "You are so beautiful…" and giving the whole thing a lick, causing a small groan to escape Marceline. Bubblegum wound her hands around the vampire's back and unclipped her bra, yanking it off slender arm, before attaching herself to Marceline's scar and sucking lightly, a full on moan echoing from the two of them together. Marceline tasted wonderful, like strawberries and raspberries, most likely from the shades of red she ate so often, and Bubblegum couldn't get enough. She didn't know how she knew what to do, but she did, and soon, fingers were working quickly on getting Marceline's jeans off which, luckily for her, were not skin-tight this time around.

Bubblegum had been sucking and biting at Marceline's chill flesh relentlessly, and as she sat up to observe her in all her glory, she was blown away by the beauty of the breathless girl beneath her. Truly, nothing could ever compare to Marceline as she was now: slightly flushed, panting, and naked. Her fingers itched with want of touching, but quick as lightning, Marceline sat up, and said, "I'm not the only one who's going to be naked, Bonnibel…" And pulled off the pink girl's nightgown and undergarments with lightning speed.

Bonni hastily reconnected their lips and sighed at the feeling of skin-on-skin. There was something so peculiar about the way Marceline felt. It was as if she were vibrating. At this point, her skin wasn't warm or cold, as was to be expected, it was almost charged, as if every inch of her being was excited and expectant and the princess loved the feeling of it. They collapsed back down onto the bed and Bubblegum began peppering kisses over Marceline's neck and jaw, her right hand moving nervously down to the vampire's chest.

Pausing her kisses for a moment, Bonni bit her lip nervously, before placing her hand fully on Marceline's exposed chest, kneading a little at the flesh in her palm. She wasn't' sure in her movements until she heard Marceline breath out a heady "Bonni…" and she continued with new found confidence. Mind burning and going blank all at the same time, the inexperienced girl placed curious lips over Marceline's other nipple, kissing and sucking and playing and eliciting the most beautiful noises from the girl beneath her. Hands found their way around her head, silently begging for her to continue, and she did, with renewed vigor.

There was something so simply intoxicating about Marceline, that every inch of her being knew what to do and how to do it. There was nothing she had wanted more and Bonni knew now that there was nothing she could ever want more than a gasping, moaning, oh-so beautiful Marceline in her bed.

As her lips continued their work on Marceline's chest, her right hand, of its own accord, began to snake its way down a taut abdomen and play idly around her pelvis, causing a little whine to fall from Marceline. A sound which Bonni decided was definitely one of her favorites. Fingers ventured just that little bit lower and began to tease ever so slightly at the vampire girl's folds. Bubblegum lifted her head up and placed it next to Marceline's, asking with nervous excitement, "May I?"

Marceline nodded fervently and gasped out a stunted "Please–!" as Bonni pressed a little more daringly at her.

Nerves racing and permission granted, Bubblegum took a deep breath, and found Marceline's entrance. She gulped at the wetness of it, completely in awe of her girlfriend's softness, and pushed one finger slowly inside, causing Marceline to gasp out in pleasure. Bubblegum relished in the feeling of being inside Marceline. It was warm and hot and made her entire body vibrate with passion and desire. She wanted more from Marceline, more skin, more heat, more touching, more everything, so she plunged two fingers into her and began pumping with a heated desire she had never known before.

Marceline clung to her back; sharp nails leaving scratches on pink skin, as she wordlessly begged the princess for more and more, which Bubblegum was all too happy to give. She continued, pumping faster and harder, her thumb finding its way to a spot that made Marceline cry out, telling bubblegum she was doing something right.

Soon, Marceline was gasping under her, "Bonni…I-I'm close…" Close to what, she wasn't quite sure, but it had to be something good. With one final exclamation of her name on Marceline's lips, she felt a clenching around her fingers, and Marceline arched up off the bed, Bubblegum still on top of her. As Marceline lay gasping beneath her, Bonni removed her fingers and wiped them off. "Marci…we're floating…" She whispered, but instead of a response, she found hot and needy kisses being given as she was flipped over and placed back down on the bed.

Gasping in want and shock, Bonni relished in the feelings that came from everything Marceline was doing to her. Well-practiced hands and lips teased at every sensitive spot Bonni had, moving slowly, but not too slowly. As Marceline's hand got closer to Bonni's core, her fervor decreased into a soft, warm desire, remembering that it was the pink girl's first time. She placed feather-light kissed on Bubblegum's neck while playing lightly with her core. "Are you sure, Bonni?" she asked.

The princess just shook her head, unable to formulate an audible response.

"It's going to hurt a bit, sweetie…" Marceline whispered.

"I kn-know." Bubblegum stammered, want coursing feverishly through her veins, "I–Marceline–Please…"

And with that, Marceline slowly pushed one finger into her, a sharp pain resounding through her and causing tears to spring to her eyes. Marceline didn't move, and whispered lovingly, "Tell me if you want me to keep going…"

A few moments later, Bonnibel nodded her head for Marceline to continue, and the two shared a light kiss as the vampire delicately began to move inside Bubblegum, who winced slightly at first. But soon, the pain began to dissipate into the most intense form of pleasure she had ever know, and she whispered a quiet, "More…" To Marceline, who obliged. At the time, Bonnibel hadn't known what she was asking for more of, but when the vampire added another finger and picked up her pace, she knew it must have been that.

Breathing came quick and heavy, filling the air with gasps and cries of pleasure. "Are you okay?" Marceline asked, never giving up her pace.

Bonni nodded, feeling more than okay. "S-something's w-weird." She stammered, and Marceline smiled, putting a thumb on Bonni's most sensitive spot "M-Marci…Marceline!" the pink girl cried, and was sent over the edge, mind flooding with sheer pleasure.

Coming down slowly from her high, she found herself wrapped in Marceline's arms. As she drifted off to sleep, she heard (or maybe dreamed) the vampire say, "You are what my entire being desires, Bonni…"

When Princess Bubblegum woke up in the morning she was alone in bed and wondered for a moment if it was all a dream. However, upon further inspection, on the pillow next to her were the rock tee-shirt folded up and a note from Marceline.

"Bonni-  
>I figured it would be best if your<br>butler didn't find two naked girls  
>in your bed, so I went home. I'll<br>see you later tonight and we'll talk,  
>okay?<br>Your Heart's Desire,  
>Marceline"<p>

Bubblegum laughed at that last little bit and clung to the tee-shirt and note. _She'll be here later tonight…_ Bubblegum thought with glee, and a huge grin spread across her face. A knock came on the door, and she quickly stuffed the note and shirt and her nakedness under her covers. "Come in!" She sing-songed at the door.

Peppermint Butler walked in. "Hello miss. Are you all right? I thought I heard strange noises last night…was that ruffian here?"

Bubblegum scowled, her cheeks reddening slightly. "I am fine, Peppermint. And how many times must I tell you not to call Marceline names? Besides, she wasn't here last night. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get ready. I'll be down in a bit."

He looked at her skeptically. "Yes, Princess…but be careful. Your people might not take too kindly to one of her kind being close to their princess." And with that, he left.

Bubblegum stared at the closed door after he left. She pulled out Marceline's note again, and smiled. _Yes…she is my heart's desire…_

Everything else Bubblegum could worry about later.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Sorry about the lack of updates these last couple days, I had appendicitis and then an appendectomy and my pain meds leave my brain all fuzzy! Haha! Anyway, this chapter comes from _Shadowfox_ who wanted 'How PB got the rock shirt from Marceline' as well as someone else who PM'd me about wanting to see 'their first time' so I'm assuming they wish to remain anonymous. _Shadowfox_ suggested that the shirt be significant to their first time as well, as it would mean a lot, so viola! Fluffy smut chapter FTW.**

**I DON'T WANT THE STEM OF SUGGESTIONS TO STOP! I LOVE IT!**

**Right so I might be updating a bit slower for a few weeks what with the surgery and all, so I'm sorry 'bout that. But thanks all for reading and suggesting and I'll try not to suck with the updates!**

**-JD**


	9. Bloodsucker

9: Bloodsucker

Bubblegum was expecting Marceline today. She'd said that she'd be back from business today and it had been a few days since their last encounter, leaving the princess definitely wanting for some vampire loving. _What a wonderful year it's been. An amazing year with her. The most amazing._ And it had been almost exactly a year since Marceline had come in all haggard from glob-knows-what and they had first slept together.

The past few hours, she had tried to busy herself with this and that experiment and had failed, so she was on her way back up to her room when she heard shouting from the main hall. _That sounds like Marci and Peppermint…_Bonni thought, sneaking over to listen in on whatever scuffle was happening and prepared to jump in to tell the Butler off again if need be. _I'll never understand why he insists on being such a butt when it comes to Marceline._

"…late and you may not see the Princess now!" Peppermint yelled.

Flaring up and hair flying wildly, Marceline exclaimed, "Look buddy! I've just come back from a tough few days in the lumping Night-O-Sphere, kay? I told Bonni I'd be here today and she'll be up, now let me pass little man!"

_Night-O-Sphere? What's that?_

Peppermint puffed up a little. "I know what you savage things are like! You most certainly will not be seeing her Highness tonight! Come back tomorrow morning! When the sun can burn the rest of life right out of you!"

_I'll have to look it up…it doesn't sound too wonderful…_

This made Marceline furious, though she held back a transformation. "IT isn't like I need your permission now do I?" Marceline's voice echoed inexplicably ominously through the hall, sending chills up both Peppermint and Bubblegum's spines. Marceline floated up, curling over the much shorter man in front of her. "Let me pass. Now." She demanded threateningly. Peppermint gulped audibly.

_Night-O-Sphere. I wonder where I can find a book on that._

"F-fine!" The candy man said, and let Marceline pass. Bonnibel booked it to her room and sat down, tapping her foot anxiously. _I hope she didn't notice. Glob I hope she didn't notice me. But then she does have a terrible knack for noticing everything I don't want her to…_

But on this night, she sighed into the room, looking more defeated than Bubblegum had ever seen her. Clearly, the constant hate from the Butler was causing her some serious woes. _I must remember to have a word with him._ Marceline looked up and smiled sadly at Bonni. "Hey there, Bubblegum. Can we…I mean could we…I don't feel like…I just wanna…" She sighed again, ever terrible at asking for mushy things, but the young girl understood.

"Come over here Marci. Let's just cuddle and sleep tonight. I'm feeling really tired anyway." Bubblegum said, accepting that Marceline could never simply ask for such a sentimental thing.

The vampire smiled again gratefully at the princess. "Anything you want, Bonnibel." And they lay down and went to sleep.

The next night, Bubblegum was entirely angry, unimpressed, and disgusted. Finding a dusky, black book entitled 'Surviving the Night-O-Sphere' in the very back of an old library had really enlightened her as to the kind of life Marceline had been keeping. As much as she loved the girl, Bubblegum simply could not abide such a creature keeping her company and what's more, being with her romantically. If anyone were to find out about their full relationship, everything she had worked so hard for would be ruined. Her image, the peoples' trust in her, everything. So tonight, she would break it off with Marceline and that was that.

_It's time to cast your feelings aside, Bubblegum. I can't believe I had feelings for her in the first place…if only I had known…okay, be strong now! Emotions be lumped! _A tap came at the window, and she let Marceline in before returning to her vanity, back turned towards her. "Hey, Bonni!" the vampire greeted happily.

"Marceline." Came the curt response. _You can do this. Stay cold. State facts._

The older girl grounded herself and asked cautiously, "Is…is something the matter, Bonnibel?"

Bubblegum turned quickly around in her chair to face the taller girl. "Yes. As a matter of fact there is. I overheard your little argument with Peppermint last night. Now I understand his disdain for you." She said, grabbing the book of the Night-O-Sphere from the desk and throwing it cruelly at Marceline's feet. She just stared at it.

"Honestly Marceline, I figured you'd tell me about where you cavort off to all the time eventually, but _this_…" Bubblegum shook her head, not noticing that Marceline looked like she was going to collapse or break down or something. After all, Bubblegum finding out about her home was exactly what Marceline wanted to avoid for the exact reason that was happening.

"I had always thought you were…I don't know, just good, Marceline. But you come from there, and I know what you had to do to get power." The vampire opened her mouth to speak. "No! There is no excuse! You had to kill the current ruler and then destroy every challenger! You're a killer Marceline! A cold blooded killer!" Bubblegum was quickly losing her temper. She hated that the vampire had lied to her about everything. Had kept everything from her. She was hurting so badly, but she couldn't end it if she was sad, so she fed on the anger that was stemming from all the pain of being lied to. _Lies by omission are the worst lies of all._

Finally finding words, Marceline fought to defend herself. "I was young! And what's more, vampires were running rampant all over Ooo! Killing and maiming! I put them all back in their own realm! Things got so much better after I became Queen! I keep them in line! If I didn't, you'd have hundreds of demons running lose and sucking souls and killing! Do you want that?"

In fact, you can't really kill anything if it is originally from the Night-O-Sphere. They just get pushed back down to a lesser demon form. Marceline had never actually killed anyone. No convert like herself had ever dared to challenge her, only full-fledged demons. She was the first convert ever to assume the throne and had been wonderful for the world, even if the world didn't know it. She was the most powerful thing in that universe and she was originally a human.

"I don't want to hear any lies, Marceline! I've read every history book on Ooo, and that's nowhere in any of them!" Bubblegum yelled, making a sweeping motion with her arm and standing tall as she could in the face of the vampire.

Marceline scoffed. "It wouldn't be, because it was before Ooo was even Ooo! There wouldn't even be a lumping Candy Kingdom if I hadn't done something about all the demons running around!"

It had been quite a feat, banishing them all back to their own dimension, but she had done it. Their job was to collect dead souls, not live ones, and they had been doing far too much damage since the portal opened, she could see that. So she took control. In fact, she took control when she was only eighteen, not just in looks, but in actual age. She was a prodigy of vampirism, and she did everything she could to remain as human as possible, though the years of the Night-O-Sphere had definitely changed and hardened her, and the princess was the first friend she'd had in a couple centuries.

Bubblegum shoved Marceline a little. "You're a liar! It's encoded into you just like everything else! And even if not, I know how you conduct yourself when you're gone. You go back there and kill and rule through fear! You're a monster!" Bubblegum spat and Marceline recoiled as if she had been hit in the face. Not since their first encounter had the candy princess ever called her a monster. She like being a vampire, and she liked who she was, but if there was one thing she was not, it was a monster. She had monster-like qualities, but she herself was not a monster.

"You kill things, Marceline. It's what you're made for." Bubblegum stated matter-of-factly. "Half the things in that book made me want to vomit. The way you things take care of matters is absolutely revolting."

"Three-quarters of the things in that book aren't true…" Marceline said meekly. "I-I've read it. I know…" She choked out.

Bubblegum had had it completely with Marceline's 'lies'. She turned her back on the girl once more. "Why should I ever believe something as evil and wicked as you, you bloodsucker."

Marceline wanted to yell, to scream, to hit, to fight, to do anything she could do, but she didn't. Instead, she backed quietly away. A moment passed, and, in a defeated disconnect, she said, "I see. Who knew the sweet candy princess could be so cruel." She floated into Bubblegum's peripheries as she made her way out to the balcony. With a final glance back, Marceline was gone.

Bubblegum and turned around, walking to her bed to get some sleep, emotionally drained and the sadness of it all finally washing over her at finding out Marceline's true character. She had very much loved Marceline, and had very harshly ended their relationship. _But there would be no mourning even if that was more than painful. But I cannot permit an indulgence simply because I want it. She was absolutely no good, and that is that._ She teared up, wishing things could be or were different, but knew that they would never be._ One day I'll find a handsome prince, and everything will be right in the world without that…that bloodsucker. _

She found a gray apple on her pillow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Okay. Sadness. I know. But _Shadowfox_ wanted their break-up and said I should get it out of the way, so I did. This made me depressed. Didn't want to write it. Mean Bubblegum. Sad Marceline. No one is happy.  
><strong>

*****I EXPECT MANY HAPPY FLUFFY SUGGESTIONS AFTER THIS***  
><strong>

**Stay chill. Might post another chapter later today (one that makes me happy) so keep on the look out. Will be one of my own, non-suggested.**

**-JD**


	10. A Shade of Red

10: A Shade of Red

Marceline was being terrible on purpose.

Ever since Bubblegum had given her Hambo back quite a while ago, Marceline had been noticing the girl's more-than friendly looks in her direction. _And it's your own lumping fault she's being such a tease, Bubblegum…honestly could I be any less subtle?_ The Candy Princess questioned herself, and the answer was a resounding 'no.'

She hated to admit it, but the four years without Marceline had been painful and hard to bear; if not emotionally (it was hard emotionally) than at least physically. There were the two years that the Vampire Queen had dropped off the face of the planet, then the two years she was back, but Bubblegum was so insistent on denying her feelings and wrongdoings that she despised even to look at Marceline. _Though, thinking back on it, it's probably for the best or I'd have two more years of desire pent up in addition to the post-Hambo-haze of all too indecent thoughts that have clouded my mind of late…not that her constant flirtation has helped any…_

Indeed, the prim, proper, appropriate Bubblegum had taken to leering at Marceline every time the two crossed paths, and, since they were on decent terms, that was becoming more and more frequent. Every time she saw the thin vampire she couldn't help but imagine everything they had done in the past and everything they could do in the future. _And everything her fingers could do and her shape-shifting could do and her wonderful, wonderful tongue could do and…glob! _Bubblegum's cheeks had flushed embarrassing red, and she was sure someone (besides Marceline, who had seen already) would notice.

On this particular evening in Ooo, the group of them–Finn, Jake, Marceline, Bubblegum, and Lady–had all decided to have a movie night. For some strange reason (though the candy princess was sure it was through some sort of trick) the get-together was being held at Marceline's. She'd gotten a friendlier couch and a bigger TV, which is what sold Finn and Jake, and even got food that wasn't the color red for them to eat. All in all it should have been an ordinary, friendly evening.

If Marceline hadn't taken to walking. With her feet on the ground. _Walking? Ha! Sauntering is more like. Swaying all over the place with those deliciously thin hips of hers just begging to be held and kissed and nipped and…glob again!_ Of course, Bubblegum was the sole audience to the upped sexiness of the vampire, as Jake and Lady were too involved with each other, and Finn (still) only had eyes for Bubblegum. _Though why he's after me and not…All. Of. That. _She thought, eyeing Marceline particularly shamelessly, _I'll never know._

Marceline was wearing probably the tightest fitting clothes she had, and probably the skimpiest. Under the weak excuse that it was summer, Marceline had donned dark jean short-shorts, and a painfully tight, sinfully red low-cut button-up shirt that made her look simply amazing. Black combat boots went up just past her ankles, and all in all it was just so terribly, wonderfully, deliciously Marceline. The very tasteful and upright princess simply just could not stave off her thoughts any longer. They made her body warm and her mind fuzz over completely as she watched Marceline prance about, getting the movie all prepared.

"…Bubblegum. Bubblegum!" Her head snapped over to Finn, who had apparently been speaking to her while her mind had been wondering, to put it politely (which she always did).

"What? Oh! Yes! Finn! I'm sorry, what were you saying?" She saw Marceline smirk.

"I was just wondering if you've seen this movie before. Marceline says it's good, but I don't know if I trust her with something as crazy important as movie selection."

_Of course. He was talking nonsense, as usual. _Bubblegum smiled at him, finding his simplicity endearing. "What movie, again?"

This is when Marceline stepped in, placing some chips on the table and beginning to play the movie. She sat (actually sat) right next to Bubblegum, who was all too aware of the slightly-closer-than-usual proximity. "Oh don't worry. It's a totally rockin' movie. You and Jake will be all like 'whoa dude' over it…though our Princess here might not feel the same." She leaned over said princess to 'whisper' to Finn, and Bubblegum could feel the electric energy the older girl gave off. "After all, man, it's like, a horror movie!"

Finn's eyes opened in glee, while the pink girl's opened in incredibly appropriate horror. Every time the pair of girls had sat down to watch a scary movie, she ended up clinging to Marceline with a death grip that was far more than what was used on friends. _That…that…Vampire!_ Bubblegum accused inwardly, as though it were the only correct and horrible enough thing to call her. _That terrible prankster and…hooligan! How am I supposed to keep my hands off her now?_ She thought, and, mind in the gutter as it was, three compromising positions for the two of them on the couch popped into her head and this time, Finn did notice.

The opening credits and junk were still rolling so he asked, "Are you alright PB? You look a little flushed…"

Marceline jumped in. "You know, he's totally right! Let me snag your temp, Bubblegum." And quick as a whip, Bubblegum's head was angled into Marceline's chest and a pair of cool lips were pressing against her forehead, which only caused her to flush more, before realizing the inappropriate position and flustering away from Marceline, mouth moving frantically in failed attempts to for words. Marceline put on her dry tone (that would go way over Finn's head) and said, "You don't _feel _hot…"

The words dripped with innuendo. In fact, Bubblegum did feel hot, very, very hot. _Like rip off all your clothes hot. _She shook her head. "I'm fine, thank you Marceline." She said, assuming the peeved attitude that came out only around the vampire. _She's being the absolute worst and I can't even do anything about it because Finn and Jake and Lady are here! But oh, glob, if they weren't…_she coughed. "Just nervous about the movie."

Marceline quelled a laugh. "Well, you can squeeze me if you get scared."

_Again with the dreadful innuendo. I am surely going to rip out my hair if she keeps this up. Or take her right on this couch, witnesses be globed. _Just then, the movie began. It had some awful name like 'Terror Cave IV' or some such, and she was already fighting the urge to grab onto the much more laid-back girl sitting next to her. _Because it isn't like we're watching this movie late at night and in a cave or anything like that. Whatever! I'm totally going to resist her attempts and just…suffer through!_

Of course halfway through the movie, those thoughts were completely out a very secured and barred up window that nothing else could get in or out of, in Bubblegum's mind, anyway. She was clinging desperately to Marceline, arms wrapped around her neck, face buried in the crook of her neck, and seated completely on her. For her part, the vampire only had a loose arm around Bubblegum's back, not the usual full-fledged hug that happened, or had happened. The three others didn't notice the candy princess' strange behavior and sudden inclination to Marceline, however, as the boys were too wrapped up in the movie and Lady was burying her own head into Jake.

Marceline leaned down and whispered, "Scary part's over," and Bubblegum looked up from the safety of the Vampire neck, only to find some unspeakable monster jumping out at her from the screen. She screamed.

Pounding her fists a little into Marceline's chest, she mumbled, "Oh you terrible thing! You know I hate that!" And she did. In fact, every time a scary movie was watched, Marceline did the same exact thing, and Bubblegum hated that she fell for it every single time.

In response, Marceline wrapped her two thin arms securely around the quivering girl, squeezing, and tilted her head to the side. Breathing directly into a sweet pink ear, she asked seductively, "Do you like _that_, Bonnibel?" and she darted her tongue out to lick the bridge of the princess' ear.

This, of course, made fear fly out that same ever-secured and impenetrable window, and a far more pleasurable sensation came into play. _There are far better things she could be licking with that glorious tongue of hers. _She stammered out a shoddy, "U-uh huh." Because she did, ever so much, like the idea of Marceline licking her, there were just more private locations that she would prefer. Once again, she loathed the fact that their three friends were there with them so she couldn't simply dominate the vampire girl right there on the couch.

The movie ended, and Bubblegum quickly jumped off Marceline, stretching as if she had been there the whole time. Finn and Jake bombarded the vampire with overlapping exclamations of what an awesome movie it was. She just shrugged with a sly, "I told you so."

Bubblegum looked over at her and envied Finn's close proximity. Though she knew he was less of a threat than a vampire hunter, she still didn't have to like how he touched Marceline's arms or hugged her or anything.

"Hey if you guys still wanna stay, maybe Jake and Lady could pick out another movie!" Everyone agreed, and she plopped back down on the sofa. "Oh and Finn? Could you snag me some strawberries from the fridge while you're getting your chips? I'm hungry." She barred her fangs at Jake and hissed her tongue all the way out, which still frightened him immensely. As the three went off and became absorbed in their tasks, she leaned over to Bubblegum once again and whispered, "You know, Bonni…pink is a shade of red, too."

And just like that, Bubblegum burst. She stood up faster than fast and all but yelled, "Marceline I need to speak with you alone!" before dragging the vampire up the ladder and into her room.

When the two were alone, with only the moon to light the room, Bubblegum noted Marceline had never looked more beautiful (or more doable) even with that painfully triumphant and dominating smirk on her face. It makes her feel that strange hate-but-not-hate that she has for Marceline. The look fuels something she's never quite felt before, and her breathing becomes heavy. With anger and something dark, Bubblegum threw the vampire against the wall before she could say anything, and bit down animalistically on her neck.

A voice floated up from downstairs. It was Finn. "Are you guys all right up there? We heard a thud!"

Bubblegum, who had pressed Marceline's wrists harshly into the wall, growled "Tell him we're fine," and went back to all but attacking the vampire's neck. Something very severe had snapped in the candy girl. Her eyes were dark as her intentions, and she had had quite enough of Marceline's teasing.

The Vampire Queen was startled, shocked, and oh-so turned on by this aggressive Bubblegum, and had troubles finding words through the heat flooding her brain. "We-we're fine! B-Bonni just got scared and-and knocked over a table!" she bit her lip to hold back a relieving groan as Bubblegum harshly yanked her button-up wide open, hands finding familiar territory with a passion they never had before. Those same hands roughly yanked off Marceline's bra and threw her onto the bed.

The vampire looked up at the girl, who gazed down at her with such hunger and anger and pure lust, she whimpered. It was obvious how much Bubblegum had desired her, and the intensity of it almost frightened Marceline. Slowly, the pink girl made her way predatorily over, and Marceline whispered a soft, "B-Bonnibel…" Before teeth were working almost cruelly over her entire chest, effectively cutting off all coherent though.

"Four years…" Bonni practically snarled into soft, electric flesh. "Two without knowing where you were. Two when you came back. And now you think you can just tease without my touching? Oh no…" Her words were emphasized almost painfully with pawing hands and wandering bites. Grabbing the hem of the short shorts, Bubblegum ripped them down long legs, not even caring to get them completely off as the girl beneath her fought to suppress moans and sighs of arousal. "No…tonight, I'm going to _fuck_ you Marceline." She said, using the ancient and vulgar word that Marceline herself had taught her. She teased devilishly at Marceline dripping folds, taking a twisted pride in how worked up she had made the older girl.

"F-Finn…" The vampire breathed out, suddenly aware of the company kept downstairs.

"Fuck Finn." She seethed. He had kept her from Marceline's body for long enough, and she emphasized the point by harshly plunging two fingers into an eager body and beginning and hard, fast rhythm which left Marceline squirming beneath her, fighting to keep quiet and enjoying everything all too much to keep silent. Bubblegum lowered herself onto the girl, sweat beading at her brow, and whispered cruelly, "That's right, Vampire. Scream. I want them to hear you downstairs screaming for me." And she picked up the harsh pace even more, bruising soft flesh over and over, only to have it heal just a moment later.

Marceline shook her head violently in protest, biting a lip and drawing some of her own blood with sharp teeth. "Don't. Bonni. Close. I can't…" She begged, clawing in delightful submission at Bubblegum's shoulders. The princess smirked, and with an added third finger and bite to a pulse point, sent Marceline over the edge completely, screaming her head off in sheer pleasure, back arching and floating up, hair flying around wildly.

"Marceline?" came a worried cry from downstairs.

Bubblegum became composed in an instant and looked down at the exhausted girl beneath her, gasping in shock of whatever had come over her. _I…I…did I just…take her like that? Like a piece of meat?_

"Marceline?" Finn yelled again, and Bubblegum jumped around, sitting on the side of the bed, gaping at the situation they'd been caught in as the boy popped his head through the hatch.

"Finn! No! I can explain, I–"

"Hey where's Marceline? I heard her yell like, super loud." Finn interrupted, glancing about the room and coming fully into it through the hole in the floor. Bubblegum's head whipped around to the bed, where a naked, spent, ravaged Marceline should have been laying, only to find the spot empty.

Bubblegum gulped. Then, in a voice she knew only she could hear, Marceline said, "Tell him something." The pink girl felt the back of her dress being unzipped by deft hands, and Bubblegum knew revenge was coming her way as those jolting hands gripped and pinched at her chest.

Bubblegum's eyes widened in the knowledge of what Marceline intended to do, and knew in present company, there was nothing the pink girl could do to stop her. She placed her hands together at her lap and brought her shoulders forward, hoping that and the darkness of the room would hide any signs of hanky-panky. "M-Marceline!" She gasped at a particularly shocking pinch of her nipple.

"Yeah dude. Where is she?" Finn asked again.

"She-she got a call from the N-Night-O-Sphere and h-had to go home." She managed to shake out. At the words 'go home,' she felt vampire fingers moving south under her dress, over her stomach and on to tease her over her panties.

"What? That's lame! Do you know when she'll be back?" Finn asked.

"No!" Bubblegum yelled, entirely directing the command at an invisible Marceline, who only chuckled in her ear (unbeknownst to Finn) as she relocated her fingers to under the girl's panties, causing a shiver to run through the princess. _Go away Finn. Go away Finn. Go away Finn. In the name of Ooo go away!_

"PB are you okay? You're being all weird and stuff…" Finn noted, taking a small step cautiously towards her.

"Oh! No Finn, I'm–" Two fingers entered her quickly and easily. "So––o good! So good! Glob!" She clutched angrily at sheets as coils of pleasure wrapped themselves around her stomach. _I need this. I need her. Oh glob did I need her!_

"O––kay…" Finn drawled. "Do you know exactly what Marceline's doing? It like, super intense in the Night-O-Sphere, man."

Marceline quickened her pace, pumping constantly in and out of Bubblegum, who was enjoying it much more than she would readily (or ever) admit. "You're liking this far too much Bonnibel." Marceline said, snaking her tongue out to lick over a sweet ear and biting at a pink neck. If they had more time alone, she would have drained the princess of some of that delicious color. She had done it before, and Bubblegum found it more than pleasurable, as did Marceline. But at present, she couldn't risk Finn seeing or Lady seeing later. So she nibbled and continued her pumping of the candy girl.

"I know what M-_Marceline_! Is doing Finn. She's doing…s-so _good_–!" Bubblegum squealed a little. "Sh-she's taking care of some b-business…long ov-overdue…" She said, breathing becoming heavy. "I-I'm sure she's going to come soon! Glob! Gonna c-come back so _soon_!" she was gasping now.

Marceline pressed a palm against Bubblegum's clit. "That's right, Bonnibel. Come. Come right in front of Finn."

The boy's brow furrowed in concern. "Are you _sure_ you're okay, PB?"

"Yes!" She yelled out, her climax washing over her and blinding her to everything but the sensation of Marceline. Somewhere, she registered Finn saying something then climbing back down to the living room. She collapsed onto the bed.

Coming down from her haze, she heard Marceline telling the boys and Lady that Bubblegum was, in fact, not okay, and had thrown up so the party was over and the princess would be staying at Marceline's for the night.

Bubblegum smiled at this, but frowned as recollection of how she had treated the vampire washed over her. What did this make them? Right before she succumbed to pleasurable sleep, she felt herself being undressed and placed under the covers with an electric body lying down next to her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**I used the shade of red line. It was awesome. And smut-erific. What am I doing with my life... Also, is it just me, or do you feel like Bubblegum tops? This is one of my own, and there will probably be more to come soon. I'm having like a Sugarless Gum explosion. **

**-JD**


	11. Something Bad

11: Something Bad

As soon as the sun fell, Bubblegum had taken to staring at her glass balcony doors. Tonight, she desperately wanted Marceline to show up. The six year old had plans, devious plans, that she was all too certain Marceline would absolutely love. _After all, we've been friends for like forever! I should know what she would like! _She thought, because after all, a year does seem like forever when you've only lived for six.

Just then, Marceline's face appeared in the window, and before she could even tap, Bubblegum was throwing the doors open and flinging her arms around the much taller girl's thighs. "Marci, Marci, Marci!"

The vampire let out a breath at the attack, and placed her own arms over pink shoulders in return. "Well now! Someone is happy to see me!" She laughed, and then she picked Bubblegum up and twirled her around under her arm while walking into the room. The Candy Princess squealed happily at Marceline's playful nature and let out a heavy breath as she was tossed onto her plush bed, the vampire collapsing next to her, smiling.

Catching her breathe, Bubblegum said, "Oh I'm so glad you are here tonight, Marci!"

The vampire turned to her. "Oh really, little one? And why is that?" She said playfully, before launching an all-out tickle attack on the smaller girl.

Squirming under a bigger, stronger Marceline, Bubblegum gasped out requests of reprieve from the tickling. Her face was turning the brightest shade of red, and breath was coming short and fast. "You win! You win! You win!" she cried, which finally prompted the vampire girl to release her. Bubblegum, enjoying Marceline all too much on this night, gave her a big hug again. _She is the absolute bestest friend I will ever have ever!_ She squeezed tight around her neck, and Marceline smiled into the hug.

Bubblegum released her after a while, having felt the need to hug the vampire for a very long time without knowing why, and said, "But I am so glad you are here! Because I want to do something exciting with you! Though I do wish we could do it in the day time and spend all day together…but it doesn't matter!"

Marceline eyed the young girl suspiciously. "Something exciting? Like what? Do you want to go for a fly or something?"

Bubblegum giggled. "No, silly. I wanna do something…" She glanced around the room, as though someone was listening in on their conversation, and the vampire leaned in close, playing along with her childishness. "I wanna do something _bad_."

A huge smile spread across Marceline's face before she erupted in laughter, only to have a little hand cover her mouth. "Shhh…! Marceline! Someone might hear you!" Bubblegum whispered to her, and the vampire opened her eyes big and nodded seriously, going along with whatever the child had in mind.

"Okay," Marceline began, sitting cross-legged and leaning into Bubblegum, "What did you have in mind? Pranks on Peppermint? Painting the walls? Tying everyone's shoes together by the laces?" She offered.

Bubblegum shook her head and leaned even further into the older vampire. Whispering in a pointed ear, the Candy Princess said, "I wanna sneak out!" and then she covered her mouth with her hands as though she had said the most scandalous of scandalous things in all of Ooo, looking upon the vampire expectantly.

Marceline was a little taken aback by the request. Sure, she was all for doing almost anything, but taking a six-year-old monarch out in the middle of the night without letting anyone know where she was? That was pushing it a little. "Oh…" She furrowed her brows, trying to figure out the best way to let the girl down. "Listen, Bonnibel…I don't think that that's the best idea. I mean…people kind of already don't like the idea of my being your friend and…well they might think I kidnapped you or something. You're a Princess, little one, and when princesses go missing, people tend to notice. I'm sorry."

Instead of tearing up or throwing a tantrum, like most children her age would have done, Bubblegum set herself firmly, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest. "Now you listen here. I am a Princess and you are going to sneak out with me and that is that. And if you don't come with me, I'll sneak out alone some other night when you aren't here and then I'll really be kidnapped and then it will be all your fault!" She humphed.

Marceline's eyebrows had shot up at the proclamation of the young monarch. She opened her mouth to say something, but ended up giving a breathy laugh and shaking her head in disbelief. "Are you _blackmailing_ me, Your Highness?" she quirked an eyebrow at the young girl.

Bubblegum remained steely in her objective. "Yes I am." She stated matter-of-factly.

Sighing in defeat and deciding it was better to have the small girl chaperoned on her expedition, Marceline said, "All right, little one…I'll go with you."

Bubblegum squealed in excitement and gave the Queen a quick, choking hug. "I have it all planned out. First, we have to sneak into the kitchen and steal some food. Then, we sneak out a window! And to make it fair, you have to walk just like me, so if we get caught it's both our faults." Bubblegum smiled.

Getting off the bed, the two of them walked over to the door into the rest of the castle. "If we get caught, it'll be _your_ fault, because it's your idea in the first place." Marceline whispered, as they poked their heads out the door. Glancing both ways down the hall, the two slinked their way through the crack in Bubblegum's bedroom door, as the coast was clear. They made their way through most of the castle, and were close to the kitchen, when the princess tripped on her long dress and fell with an echoing thump and a small cry of pain.

Peppermint rounded the corner, having heard this, and called, "Princess?" He looked left, and right, and glanced through opened doorways. Shrugging, he walked away and out of the hall, having seen no sign of the girl.

Slowly, cautiously, quietly, Marceline lowered the two of them back down onto the floor from their hiding place well above the short man's head. They both let out a breath of relief, though Marceline's was more warranted, as she stood to be in the most trouble if, in fact, the two of them were caught together sneaking out.

"That was close," Bubblegum whispered. Marceline nodded in agreement, excitement and more than a bit of fear vibrating through her dead veins. If she were caught, she was almost certain the candy people would string her to a pole and let her burn in the sun, but she simply couldn't bring herself to let the candy girl sneak out another time alone. It was far too dangerous. Really, she was doing the Candy Kingdom a favor by babysitting a rebellious six-year-old.

Bubblegum scampered along and Marceline followed quietly after her, keeping to her promise to stay grounded, even though flying had spared them the wrath of Peppermint Butler. Once in the kitchen, Bonni grabbed a basket and assigned the vampire to guard duty. She packed all kinds of food and drink (making sure to bring extra strawberries) and soon was ready to go.

She climbed up onto the counter and opened the window that was over the kitchen sink before jumping out and calling after Marceline to follow her. The window was small, so Marceline turned into her little were-bat form and flew out. Bubblegum shrieked, and the bat girl looked around fearfully.

"What? What is it? Who's there?" she asked, turning her little head this way and that.

"Oh Marceline, you are _adorable_!" Bonni exclaimed, before picking the creature up and holding her like a dolly. "You must be this way for me again sometime! It is too cute! I can hold you, and squeeze you, and cuddle you, and you are not at all frightening like you can be when you are yourself!"

Marceline squirmed her way out of Bubblegum's cuddle explosion and turned back into herself. "I am not cute!" She defended. "I am a frightening Queen of the Night and a Terror of Terrors!" She pouted, and Bubblegum just laughed. She grabbed onto the much taller girl and dragged her away from the kingdom, the vampire stumbling behind her. They ran for quite a ways and then walked until they couldn't see the Candy Kingdom anymore, ending up in a large empty field. A soft breeze flew through, rippling the grass.

Bubblegum stopped and placed down the basket, glancing around at her surroundings and nodding in approval. "Yes," She said, "This is perfect!" and she sat herself down and began to take out all of the food, placing it all on a small mat she had brought.

Marceline sat down next to her. "Okay, little one…now what?"

Keeping to her routine of placing the food out (making sure the red things were by Marceline) Bubblegum began to explain. "We're going to play. You're going to be the handsome prince and I'm going to be the princess and we are out getting to know each other even if we aren't supposed to see each other before our arranged marriage which is why we had to sneak out and meet in this field." She nodded firmly, finishing bringing out the last of the food.

Marceline laughed. "Oh I see…like a _date_. I must say I'm flattered, you _did_ ask me out after all…" She teased, and the candy girl turned a bright shade of red in the moonlight.

"Marceline that is not how it is!" She stammered out, trying to find a fault in what Marceline had said, though there was none.

The vampire laughed at the flustered girl, and said, "Come now, Bonni, I was just kidding. So what Prince am I?"

Bubblegum scrunched her head in concentration, trying to think of a good prince for herself. "Oh I know! What about a prince from a far off land who's also made of candy! A Prince Gumball! Yes!"

Marceline nodded her head in amused agreement. "Prince Gumball, huh? Okay. Let's do this!" She said determinedly. She grabbed a strawberry and bit into it like a living being, drinking the red only after it was in her mouth. "You start." She told the young girl beside her.

Bubblegum nodded and took a dainty bite from a cream puff. "So, Prince Gumball, where are you from?"

Marceline smirked. "A far off land…" She said plainly.

Bubblegum puffed up angrily, "Marceline you aren't doing it!"

The vampire laughed. "I was just teasing. Ask again. I'll play and be good, I promise little one."

The girl cleared her throat. "Where are you from, Prince Gumball?"

Marceline took on an almost-silly regal tone, and lowered her voice slightly. "I am from the far off land of Aaa. I have a beautiful Candy Kingdom which I rule with love and fairness, and peace has reigned throughout my lands for centuries."

Bubblegum giggled a little at how Marceline was acting, but appreciated her enthusiasm. "And do you know why we are getting married? I'm curious because no one told me…"

Marceline turned away, as though looking out across the miles to her wonderful land of Aaa. "Our marriage was set from birth because our two great nations would like to bring a new togetherness to the lands of Ooo and Aaa. I was upset when I found out, but never did I think that my arranged marriage would have me marrying someone as beautiful as you princess." Marceline took Bubblegum's hand and kissed it chivalrously.

The candy girl giggled furiously. "Marceline!" she exclaimed.

"Marceline? Who is that? I am Prince Gumball of the Land of Aaa here to get to know my fiancée the beautiful Princess Bubblegum of the Land of Ooo…though this Marceline sounds like a radical chic." She said, standing and gesturing in over-exaggerated grandeur. Bubblegum outright laughed at the faux proclamation, and Marceline sat down next to her, laughing as well.

"Marceline?" Bubblegum began, looking out across the field.

"Hmm?" The vampire replied contentedly.

"Do you ever wish you could do something in the sunshine?"

Marceline turned towards the girl, a little surprised by the question. It was a bit of a sad subject, as Marceline couldn't even remember a time when she could walk in the sun and feel it on her skin. She had been turned at such a young age; she couldn't remember at all what it was like being a human. "Oh…well…I can't even remember it. So I suppose it would be worse if I could. Mostly I miss the things that you can do during the day, not the day itself. Things like walking around and shopping in stores. I do all that now, but it'd be nice without an umbrella. So yeah, I guess I do wish I could feel the sunshine." She said softly. Marceline made it a point not to think of the things she had lost by being a vampire.

Bubblegum turned to see a forlorn look on Marceline. "The night is a scary time…" she said, young as she was. But she was surprised to see a smile spread across the vampire's face.

"Oh no, little one. True, it's been a while since I've seen the world sunny without the confines of shade, but the moon makes things glow. It makes things beautiful and mysterious." She gazed up at the orb, which hung full in the sky. "I like it. It reminds me that there are always things we won't know. The sun washes things out and exposes things, while the moon accents them into a curious beauty." She turned to the young girl beside her and shook her head, realizing she had thoroughly confused the princess by the look on her face. "Maybe you'll understand when you're older, little one."

"No I understand." Bubblegum began. "You like it because it's like you: beautiful and mysterious." She said simply, such was the way of children.

Marceline laughed at her simple conclusion. "Yeah…I guess you are right."

Marceline laughed a lot around Bubblegum. "Why didn't you see that, Marci?"

The vampire furrowed her brows for a moment before answering, "Well, little one, sometimes people, older people, can't see the simple things because we think too much. And I am around as old as they come, so nothing seems so simple anymore." She looked to the candy girl and wrapped her up in a hug, tossing her high up and catching her. Bubblegum yelled in fear and excitement before laughing as she landed safely in Marceline's arms. "That's why we old folks need friends like you to simplify things for us!" The vampire concluded, tickling Bubblegum for a little before the two lay down next to each other happily.

Moments passed in comfortable silence. "Marceline, what do you want the most?"

She looked over again at the candy girl, who asked heavy questions as though the answers were so simple. "Well…love I guess. Isn't that what everyone wants?" She laughed, deciding the simplest answer was the best. After all, that's what Bonni seemed to be able to do, so why not her?

"Well I love you Marceline." She said as though it were common knowledge. It was the very first time Bubblegum had told her that.

Marceline smiled softly. "Thank you." She said, unused to anyone saying it or meaning it.

"Marceline? This was not something bad. This was just something we weren't supposed to do. This was good."

"You're right again, Bonni. You are so smart." The two gazed up at the moon until Bubblegum fell asleep. Marceline packed everything up and carried the girl and basket back to the candy kingdom. She tucked her in and put everything back in the kitchen silently. Leaving the way she came in, she placed a little kiss on Bubblegum's head and whispered, "Goodnight, little one." Before making her way back to her tree house.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Okay, this one was actually from a suggestion by _Rosswellmorgana _who asked, 'Can Bonni take Marci on a date?' Yes I realize it probably wasn't what you were expecting, but I still hope it's okay! It's just what popped into my head when I thought about it. I'm practically drowning in suggestions and reviews and I love it! Thank you all so much!**

*****KEEP THE SUGGESTIONS COMING!*****

**As for those of you requesting what Marceline did after the break-up, don't worry, I'll do it! I know what she does! I just wanna take a break from that point in time right now. As for what Bubblegum does, I think that'd be a separate chapter from Marci's, and that one is a little more unclear. But it'll all happen! Fear not! I remain ever-loyal to your requests.**

**-JD**


	12. Shame

Chapter 12: Shame

Bubblegum lay on her bed with Marceline's head lying in her lap. She absentmindedly played with it as she read a book on the theories of space travel. Marceline had gotten it for her from glob knows where, and she was finding it absolutely riveting. However, at the moment, she was finding Marceline's hair far more riveting. _It's so silky and soft. And the color…it's more than black; it glows, like a night sky. She is so beautiful. I'm lucky to have her back. I'm lucky she gave me another chance._

It was true. For a while there, it was just incredibly complicated, with the vampire refusing to talk. But eventually, the pink princess had worn her down and forced her into a conversation and they had been together ever since. This is why Bubblegum lay on her bed, propped up on pillows, with Marceline in her lap. _And I couldn't love it any more…I couldn't love her any more._

She put the book down completely, and began weaving both sets of fingers through Marceline's massive amounts of hair. _How she keeps it so nice is a wonder…it's so clean and smooth...and no split ends. _Bubblegum sighed. "I absolutely love your hair. You know that, Marci?"

"I want to tell people about us." Marceline said, and it was clear she had been thinking about it for a long while.

Bubblegum's fingers stopped dead, and she gulped. Marceline looked up at her expectantly, and Bubblegum opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Still, the vampire just stared at her, head still in a pink lap, not frowning, not hopeful, just looking at the princess, waiting. _I don't want to disappoint her. But…I just…I can't. _A strangled sound escaped from Bubblegum before she found her words again. With a definite negative tone to her voice, she said, "Marceline…"

The vampire sighed, and pulled herself off the lap of the other girl and floated off the bed, wishing there were somewhere else that she could sit, because floating was definitely not what she wanted to do. "I figured." Marceline just shook her head; prying that she could just sink into the floor and stop existing. "I figured…" she repeated.

Bubblegum sat up on her knees on her bed. "Marceline…" She began earnestly. This was something she knew wasn't going to end well. _But what can I do? I can't help the way people see her. And what's more, I cannot lose the approval of my people. That's my job, and it's not like I chose it._ Her brow furrowed. "Marci…sugar…" She used a pet name that she knew Marceline secretly loved, "You know that it isn't a good idea…"

Marceline floated over to the corner where her axe bass sat propped up. "No," she said quietly, "No I don't know that it isn't a good idea." She forced her arm up to grab her instrument and dragged it, along with her feet, across the floor.

Bubblegum watched the vampire carefully, an uneasy feeling settling deep in her stomach. "Wh-What are you doing, Marci?" She asked, seeing the vampire picking up old left-over clothes from off the floor.

"I'm tired, Bonnibel. I'm tired of being your dirty little secret. I'm tired of having to hide, and sneak in, and not see you whenever I want, or just hold your hand out in public. And I'm tired of Finn being all over you, still, because he doesn't know you're taken. Things are the same as they were before, and I don't like it." She had collected a small pile of clothes in her arms and slung her bass over her shoulders. She picked up the rock shirt she had given Bonni, which had been tossed onto the floor the previous night after an unplanned visit. Bubblegum's breath had gotten quick and heavy, and she felt like her heart guts had fallen right out of her. _She isn't doing this. She isn't._

Marceline rubbed the shirt between her fingers and smiled sadly. "You can keep the shirt, Bonnibel. Call me again if you're done being ashamed of me." And she turned to leave out the balcony doors.

At that, Bubblegum leapt off her bed and sprinted past Marceline, slamming the glass doors out shut before the older girl could leave. "No. You are not leaving me again. I am not ashamed, I'm not! But you have to understand, people are afraid of you! They wouldn't approve or get it or anything!"

Marceline shook her head, remaining completely composed. "No I don't have to understand. I just can't understand. And I might have left the first time, but it was upon your request and–"

"I apologized! And I will always apologize and never stop apologizing because it was the stupidest thing I have ever done and I knew that as soon as I saw that lumping apple on my pillow I just didn't say anything and denied it!" Bubblegum interrupted, stepping closer to Marceline and placing her hands on the girl's blue cheeks and trying to find hiding eyes.

"I know, Bonnibel, I know, but…but I…" her face twisted up in concentration, it was still hard for her to say. "I…I _love_ you and-and you say you love me and that's what should matter. And if you're too-too scared, or whatever, then I need to move on. Because I'm not scared. I love you with all my being and that scares me, but telling doesn't. It makes my heart guts feel like they beat again when I think about everyone knowing I'm in-in love, and if it's not the same for you, then it's…" Tears welled up and spilled quietly from her eyes. "Then it's over."

Bubblegum shook her head fervently, looking hard at the girl, tears of her own falling, and her grip on Marceline tightening. "No it isn't over. It isn't, Marceline. I love you more than anything, but…I mean I haven't even told anyone I know that I'm gay because don't even know if I am! I've only ever had eyes for you, Marceline. I've never even thought about anyone else! So you aren't leaving me. You aren't because you're the only one for me and the only one there ever has been and that's that!" She said, fully sobbing and gasping every few words as she went.

But Marceline just pulled Bubblegum's hands from her face and shook her head again. "This isn't one of those things you can command different, little one." She said, making reference to the way the monarch had acted as a small child. She always had been demanding one moment and flitty the next. Not much had changed.

"Why not…why not?" She asked desperately. "I need you Marceline. I need you. I'm not ashamed. You are beautiful and wonderful and talented and everything anyone could ever want. But my people think…they think bad things of you, and they wouldn't trust me if they found out. I'm sorry…I'm so sorry. Please, please don't go. They think you're a monster. That's why…that's why…"

She fell to her knees, realizing that she was losing Marceline for a second time and there was nothing she could do about it except the one thing she knew she couldn't. "Bonni…Bonbon…"Marceline whispered, kneeling down with her and putting the clothes aside to embrace her girlfriend in a hug. "They think those things of me because their Princess never let me have a chance to prove otherwise. She hides me away like a dark secret instead of letting me meet her people and form a different opinion of myself. I'm a skeleton in a closet…in more ways than one." She joked, and was rewarded with a small giggle from Bubblegum, who had stopped crying at the reassuring tone in Marceline's voice. "It doesn't have to be all at once, we could start with people we trusted, with people who knew us. I'm pretty sure Lady knows already so we could start with her. But Bonni, the people who know me know I'm not a monster. You just need to be a little brave and trust me to make a good impression. Even Jake likes me, and I tease him mercilessly, _and_ he is desperately afraid of me! If he can like me, anyone can."

Bubblegum looked up at her, giggling again at the joke and sniffling away the last of her tears. She got the feeling Marceline was willing to go slow, but she just had to get started. "He is afraid of you terribly…" And the two laughed.

Marceline took on a more serious tone. "Bonni I do…I have all those gushy feelings for you, and I want people to know. I'm tired of hiding. And there will be some people who are scared of me but…I just can't sneak around with you anymore. It makes me feel…" She trailed off, none too sure about wanting to divulge something so intimate to the candy girl. Feelings and gush were not her strong suit.

But Bubblegum needed to know. "What? Makes you feel what?"

Marceline pinched her lips together, and forced her face into concentration, as though she had to force herself to speak. When the words did come out, they were small, quiet, and vulnerable. "…Worthless…like a plaything for you to throw away…"

_Oh my glob…I hadn't…how could I have not seen that? How could I have not noticed how she felt? I am the worst girlfriend in the history of girlfriends! Of course she feels like that, how else would she feel? Here at night and gone in the morning…lumps! _Bubblegum grabbed Marceline's face again and forced their eyes to meet. "Marci…" She shook her head, "Marceline I am so sorry. I didn't realize…I should have-I…I am so sorry. You are not worthless, you mean everything to me! Do you realize all the day I'm not with you, I'm thinking about you and how all your sarcasm would make the boring meetings go faster and your presence would make the room brighter and I'd be happier? I think about you all day, and every evening with you is the highlight of that day." She laughed a little. "Marci I even sleep in your shirts when you aren't here because I need you somehow every night."

Marceline buried her head into a pink neck. "Do you mean that?" she mumbled, embarrassed at her need to know all the mushy details.

Bubblegum giggled slightly, knowing exactly why the vampire hid. "I do Marceline. I really do." The candy princess nodded her head, a new resolve coming over her. "And I want people to know. I do. I want you to be able to spend the night and morning and day with me. I want to have to get new drapes to not let the sun in just so I can wake up with you in the morning. I want Peppermint to bring extra strawberries so we can eat breakfast together. So tomorrow, I'm telling Lady. Like you said she probably already knows. From there we'll go to Finn, Jake, and Beemo, then the princesses like LSP and finally my city. I can't promise it will be fast, but I will try Marceline. I would do anything to keep you. Anything."

Marceline began crying into the candy girl. "Do you mean that?" She asked again, joyful sobs wracking her body as she began to laugh.

"With all my heart guts." Bubblegum said simply, and the girls shared a long hug, before going back into bed. Marceline watched Bonnibel fall asleep, and lay with her as long as she could, before making her way back to her cave, looking forward to the day when she didn't have to.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**So this one was semi-inspired by _TigerLilly22_ who wanted to see 'Marceline and Bubblegum coming out to their friends.' Well, I decided that they'd have to have a serious (and more than a bit sad) conversation about it first. Fear not! I will do a chapter on them coming out to everyone, so don't worry there. But this is what I was thinking of when I saw the request. And thank you for it! It's lovely, and I will most definitely complete it in full!**

*******PLEASE REVIEW AND REQUEST!********

**Next will probably be how Marci acts after their break up, but it depends on the reviews. I kinda wanted to save it for later, so please suggest! Thanks for all my readers who don't review (don't worry, I don't hate you) and a particular wonderful bout of thanks to my readers who do!**

**-JD**


	13. To Be Kindof alive

Chapter 13: To Be Kind-of Alive

The group laughed as they watched the camp of humans running from them, faces completely in fear. The leader snapped his blue fingers and the rest of his party-three or four demons-ran after them, sucking souls, maiming, or killing as they so pleased. He laughed, watching mothers beg for their children, husbands beg for their wives, brothers for sisters, adults for children they didn't even know. Of course, it only made it all the more satisfying when the one they tried so hard to protect was killed or soul-sucked right in front of them.

Yes, the Mushroom War had done great things for the demons. Humans can be so stupid, and somehow or other, they opened portals to other dimensions. Most of the others simply closed the portals and went back to business, all too prepared for the end of the war-which was indeed nearing. But not those from the Night-O-Sphere. Oh no, those mortals had no idea what they were really getting into when they decided to blow a huge chunk out of their planet. Demons had been running rampant quite happily, and none more so than then self-proclaimed 'Lord of Evil' Maddox.

He chuckled lowly as he saw people start running back towards him, trying oh-so-hard to escape the demonic entities that they themselves had released upon the world. There were only three humans left from this camp, and he was seriously looking forward to eating their deliciously frightened souls. There was a man and women, who (judging by their body language) were a couple, and a teenage boy, who ended up running beside them. They all came to a terrified stop before him, and he smirked in satisfaction until he realized that they weren't stopped because they saw him, but were rather staring in awe and fear of something around his shins.

The man and woman hugged each other, and the boy stood firm and defiant. He looked down, and saw that there was a little girl standing right in front of him, dressed in a tattered pink shirt and overall dress with only one sock. She held onto a raggedy teddy bear by one hand and simply stared up at him. He wondered briefly if she had been standing there the whole time, and whether or not she feared him, as she hadn't run like she'd seen everyone else doing. His brows furrowed in fascination at the little girl who didn't run from a demon.

The rest of the group had dispersed for a while, leaving the remaining four to Maddox. He leaned down slowly to face the small child, and heard the woman scream. A scream quickly muffled by the man grabbing her and forcing her into his shoulder. The teenager said in a shocking act of bravery (considering what he'd seen) "You leave her alone!" Maddox simply glanced up at the boy and snarled at him with his double-mouth, which sent the boy back reeling to the couple, shooting daggers at the demon with his eyes.

The woman had taken to whispering, "She's only a baby, just a baby" Over and over into her lover's arms and shaking her head. Her lover, for his part, simply cooed meaningless reassurances at her, knowing that nothing was going to be all right for the little girl.

Maddox got down into a crouching position and came face to face with the girl. They looked at each other for a long moment, and he was surprised to see that the child portrayed no emotion whatsoever, and merely seemed to be studying him, or maybe just observing. "Hello," He said, voice rumbling and low like an angry stampede.

"Hello," she replied quietly. Maddox was having a hard time believing that this child was real. Here he was, Lord of Evil, soul-sucker, mutilator of men, a being whose very presence caused death by fear (or so he said) and he could not even shake this small girl. So he decided to converse.

"My name is Maddox, Lord of Evil." He said, splitting his face wide open and screeching at her. The woman screamed and the boy wretched, to afraid to move. But she didn't even flinch. In fact, her face remained completely neutral and (if he had to place it) slightly curious in a positive way. If he could be unsettled, he would have been.

"My name is Marceline. This is Hambo." She said, gesturing to her little teddy bear thing.

Maddox gave a low laugh. "I must say, I've never spoken to my meals before. You, my dear, look delicious." He took her free hand and licked it. Still, she simply looked at him. He was beginning to wonder what on the remaining earth was wrong with this kid. "Aren't you afraid of me?" he inquired, his demon pride being beaten and battered by a child who didn't even know she was doing it.

Still, she shook her head with a small, "No," And gazed up at him again. This infuriated him. No one was not afraid of the Lord of Evil.

He reared his ugly head, splitting it down the middle. "Well, you should be!" he roared, a million voices of the dead finding their way into his own voice. "Because I'm going to eat you!" The black clouds of chemical war swirled angrily in the night sky.

"No!" The teenage boy yelled, and began running at him. Maddox caught him by the head and split him long-ways down the middle, sucking the soul as it tried to make its way out of the body. The woman vomited and the man looked away. He threw the pieces on either side of Marceline, blood and guts sprinkling her ever-so-slightly.

"Afraid now, human girl?" He roared.

Again, Marceline shook her head and uttered a small, "No."

He deflated back into his humanoid form. He scowled at her, and walked over to the man and woman. Instead of begging for their own lives, or the lives of each other, they both pleaded with him to spare the little girl. He dragged them both over to right in front of him. "Don't be afraid, sweetie. It's okay." the woman told Marceline, who simply looked at her with that same blank face, just slightly tinged with curiosity. Maddox walked up to her and tore her heart out of her chest. Blood squirted everywhere as she collapsed, eyes rolling around wildly before they settled and she died. Still Marceline stared.

Maddox was having quite enough of this. The man, who had begun sobbing uncontrollably and speaking unintelligibly, had kneeled to the ground. He was hugging Marceline, who wasn't hugging back. Maddox lifted him up off the child, not without a fight and cries of mercy for the girl, and split his stomach open, sucking out the intestines like spaghetti noodles. After he had finished and the man lay dead, he turned and asked again, "Are you scared now?"

Marceline looked at him, then down at the bodies that lay before her. "No." Came the quiet reply.

Maddox roared at her, his opened mouth practically surrounding her entire being. "Why?" He thundered, before returning to normal and steaming in front of her.

"Because it won't do any good." Marceline replied, and he froze in his place. Here was this child, acting more composed than any adult human he had met. She seemed so level-headed and ready. She knew it was coming, and she just waited. It shook him. He looked at her to continue. "Well…" she began shyly, twirling her socked foot in the dirt and clasping her hands (and Hambo) behind her back. "One way or another I'm gonna die so…why be afraid if I can't stop it?" Maddox went bug-eyed. Never, not once, in all his ravaging, had he ever met someone who had said that (when they were given a chance to speak) let alone a small child.

"How old are you…what do you mean, 'one way or another'?" He asked.

"I'm three. And I'd like you to make me like you." She said. "I know you can. I've seen it."

It was true; demons could create demi-demons. Something the humans called 'vampires,' but Maddox was not particularly inclined into making 'children' for himself. It was a torturous process, and the creatures created were most often useless and weak, feeding far too heavily into new desires and being killed by a demon who grew tired of their animal-like antics. And for a child to be running around like that? True, she was a little different than other children, but kids are naturally uninhibited. There would be a total lack of self control.

Maddox narrowed his eyes at her. "Where are your parents?" He asked.

"I've never had any. Just Hambo. Hambo is my only friend." She said, and she smiled, actually _smiled_, at the Lord of Evil.

Just then, his gang decided to return. "Hey Maddox, what have you got there?" One of them said.

"A little pet, perhaps? Or maybe just a toy?" Said another. The three of them laughed, joining in behind him.

"Well hello there, girl. Why don't you run? It will make it more fun for us?" The third said, and another laugh followed.

"I'm not going to. I'm waiting for Mr. Maddox to tell me if he'll make me like him. I think he's a little bit scared to though." She mused quietly and without thinking, as children often do.

The group guffawed. "Well, Maddox, look like you've got a challenge there!"

"Yeah! Go ahead and change her. I know you don't like 'children' all that much, but one doesn't simply cast aside something like that!" The company again laughed at the double-meaning in children.

"Besides, you let her run around a bit, and someone'll kill her before the days out. No harm no foul."

Maddox looked at the group, then back at Marceline. He knew there was something different about the girl. He knew he probably shouldn't, at least not to one so young. But still, his friends were right? What harm could a convert _ever_ do? He grinned, "Okay." He said, "It's going to feel like fire running through your veins as they turn ice cold and freeze you, sucking the life from your heart and filling your brain with throbbing desire to feed." She looked on at him. "Do you still want to change?"

Marceline looked up at him brightly. "Yes. At least that way, I'll still be kind-of alive."

Maddox stared at her for a moment. He hadn't thought of why the young child would want to change. There had been many fanatics who wanted to be vampires, but they all ended up dying. Simply wanting to be one is foolish. Never submit to a demon, ever. But this girl wanted to change to live, even if it was a short and tortured existence. It was a smart thing. Far too smart for a three-year-old and yet, here she was, asking all the same.

Maddox nodded. "Fine." He pricked his own gums and blood seeped over his fangs. He bent down and bit Marceline harshly and she let out a cry as his poisoned blood flowed into her and took over and he drank a bit from her. He couldn't take too much, or she'd simply die. It wasn't like she had much to give anyway, she was so small.

She keeled over onto the floor and writhed about in pain. Maddox and his group stared. They laughed, he didn't. When she stopped, he heard one of his friends say, "Come on, Maddox. Let's go. Leave the stupid kid be." They walked away and, after another moment of looking at the stilled girl, her ears now pointy, and her skin now blue, he too, began to walk away.

Just before he was out of ear shot, he heard a small, "Goodbye, Daddy."

He couldn't help but worry about the strange girl, before casting his doubts aside. After all, what could a convert ever amount to?

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**This is one of mine. Popped into my head. Next will definitely be how either Marceline or Bubblegum reacts after the break-up. I'm leaning towards Bubblegum, been doing a lot of Marci lately. I want to thank you all for the review, they've been wonderful and so kind! But I want suggestions! I'd sooner those than compliments!**

*********PLEASE SUGGEST SCENES!**********

**PS guys: Don't know if you know this, but a two part episode is coming out. Episodes 5 and 6. Episode 5 is Marceline's dad throwing Finn and Jake into the Night-O-Sphere called "Return to the Nightosphere" (original). But episode 6 is entitled: Daddy's Little Monster! You know what that means: MARCELINE! It's about their relationship and thank god because Bubblegum is in like every GD episode and Marci's only been in like 7 so Marci needs to happen, and will happen! *Squee!* Thought you ought to know.**

**-JD**


	14. Hearsay

Chapter 14: Hearsay

Bubblegum stared at the apple. The very grey, not red apple that sat on her pillow. She stared at it as if it weren't real at all. Because it couldn't be, not to her. _If this apple…this not red apple is real…I called her…I said she was…I called her a bloodsucker. A monster._ Her tentative hand reached out, almost willing it in itself for the fruit not to be real. _I called her that…but Marceline…Marceline doesn't…she doesn't suck blood. _Her hand hovered still, just around the shape of the apple. Still she could only stare at it. She had been so sure…so sure. She let out a shaky, haggard breath, fighting off tears.

She didn't know why, but she couldn't pick the fruit up. She pulled her hand back and sat down on the bed, placing her hands in her lap. A thought washed over her, and she looked at her balcony doors. "Marci I was wrong." She spoke, so, so sure that the vampire was outside invisible, just waiting for her to realize her mistake. There was no movement from her balcony. "Marceline, please. I made a mistake and it was wrong of me to call you those things. I got caught up in the book." Still, there was nothing.

Bubblegum began to panic. "M-Marci?" She choked out. Fear washed over her. _She has to be there. She's just waiting. She's just playing a mean trick. She'll be back in here in just a second. She will. She always comes back._ Her breathing heavy, Bubblegum just sat on her bed, staring at the entrance her vampire would use when she was done being broody and sad. _It is in her nature to brood. She'll be back. She'll be back! _She tried so hard to convince herself.

She sat on her bed all night. Not changing. Not moving. She sat and stared at the balcony doors until the first rays of the sunrise threw themselves across the horizon. Then she stared some more, as the slow realization that no, Marceline hadn't come back that night, weighted her royal shoulders down like no responsibility ever had. _She just needs some more time. It wasn't proper, what I said to her. She'll come back tonight._ Bubblegum slowly got up and went about her duties for the day, mind elsewhere and both book and apple sitting where they had been left.

Again she sat on her bed, just staring at the doors to her balcony which she had never locked since she met the vampire. The grey apple sat in her peripheries, taunting her, the only remnant of Marceline in the room. As midnight came and went, soon, the time of Marceline's usual appearances passed as well. It was then that Bubblegum truly began to panic. She grabbed the book of the floor and flipped through it wildly, trying to find something, anything that she had missed. Hoping, praying that she had been right, that she had cast Marceline out for a reason. _Vampires. Where's the part on vampires?_

Flipping to the right page, she found it.

"**Vampires have been around since the beginning of the beginning…"** she turned frantically to the next page. **"…Demi-Demons created by a master they revere as a parent figure…"** She read it again. _Demi-demons? What?_ She flipped back to a section that had particularly disgusted her. Skimming over the gross parts she read, **"…worst of all creatures. Demons have the inclination to…and often use their 'children' as vents for anger and boredom resulting in…" **Bubblegum tried so hard to connect the dots. _Children and parents…Demi-Demons…_ She pressed a hard palm to her forehead. She had been so consumed with her new-found knowledge of the Night-O-Sphere; she hadn't even registered the difference.

Still she read on, flipping quickly back to the vampire section. **"…considered mindless killing machines that cannot control their bloodlust. Vampires are the beasts, the animals of the Night-O-Sphere, and only think of sating their hunger for blood." **The princess paused and furrowed a brow. _Marceline is definitely not that. She's very intelligent. She's their queen! _Evidently, she had only recollected the disgusting elements of the book, and not some of the important facts. _No. No there has to be some kind of exception. She has to be-be bad or…or I kicked her out for nothing. _

She turned to the pages on becoming the ruler. _Yes. It will be here. She had to do this to become ruler. She had to. _**"…must fight to the death in a brutal show of force. After, they must hold onto their throne by fighting off and destroying every opposition to their rule." **Bubblegum glowed, slightly triumphant, though it still irked her that her Marceline had done such a thing. As she flipped the book closed, sliding all the pages over one another, a small series of pages fell from in between the binding. She looked at them curiously. _Where did these come from?_ She looked at the pages and noticed that they were handwritten. The first page was marked, 'Demons' And had a select few bullet points.

She read them over. **"Cannot actually be killed. Heinous creatures. No remorse. Enjoy wrongdoing." **It confused her. Not a moment ago she had read that in order to become ruler, an opponent had to fight to the death. She tossed the contradictory page aside and looked at the next one, labeled 'The Demon King'

"**Cruel and disgusting. Wreaked havoc on Earth. Overthrown by unknown opposition."** Bubblegum's breath hiccupped in her throat. _Wreaked havoc on earth. Isn't that what…what Marceline said? She said they ran rampant…but…that doesn't make sense, they have always been in the Night-O-Sphere. Unknown opposition must be Marci but…_ She shook her head. All too confused. Now these pages were telling her of things not in any history book in Ooo. _Though nothing here has said Ooo. It's said Earth._

There was just one page left. She froze as she read the heading, 'Humans'. _No. No, no, no. No because humans haven't been around since the Mushroom War and every book I've read on that said they died from the war. Just the war. There's no mention of Demons or anything anywhere._ She gulped, her eyes prying themselves to the single bullet against her will. **"Demons- Probable cause of total extinction."**

She clutched angrily at the page, crinkling the old paper under her firm grasp. _This is lying. This is lying! I've read every history book I could get my hands on and Humans killed themselves! _ She wished the pages were heavier, that way she could simply throw them without them floating unsatisfactorily. _She said…she said she'd read it. That three-quarters weren't true. That she had turned them all back to their own realm. These…these lumping, stupid, ridiculous pages written by some unknown person…_ Bubblegum couldn't admit the vampire had been telling the truth. That made her a hero. _A hero who doesn't drink blood and thinks for herself and isn't a monster and doesn't wreak havoc and keeps hordes of demons at bay in their own realm for the sake of the rest of Ooo._ She picked up the big book and threw it across the room, slamming it harshly into the wall with a yell.

The sun rose, and Peppermint Butler came running into her room. She fumed at the thing that lay next to the door. "Princess?" The man asked cautiously.

"This book! Who wrote it! Where does the information come from! Tell me right now, Peppermint!" She yelled at the little man.

He shied back slightly, having never seen the princess angry at anything before like she was now. "It-it-it's widely regarded as the truth by Ooo."

She jumped on his words. "Regarded as the truth? _Regarded_ as the truth? What the lump does that mean!"

He backed further away from the girl, who had taken a few menacing steps towards him. "W-Well I believe m-most of it to be h-he-hear-hearsay, Princess." He stammered out the word, fearing the wrath of his master.

As he should have. Bubblegum exploded. "Hearsay? _Hearsay?_ You're telling me that all the information we have on this is _hearsay _and _regarded_ as the truth? It's a lumping gossip rag! Why was this sinister thing sitting in the non-fiction history section, Peppermint! Who in the name of Ooo put it there! Tell me right now so I can have them banished or strung up or something! Tell me!" She grabbed at the small man's collar and raised him high of the floor to face-level.

"I-I-I don't kn-know, Princess! Honestly! I-It's a-a-always been there!" He managed. She dropped him to the floor and threw the book at him.

"Take this filth and get out of my chambers!" she yelled at him. He scampered away with the book and she slammed the door, slowly venting out her anger through her breath. _Marceline…you were alive then. You had to be. I should have believed you. I should have._ She sat on the bed as her anger ebbed away to sadness. She glanced over at the apple and picked it up gingerly, rubbing it lightly with her thumb. _Marceline…_

* * *

><p>Bubblegum had stayed up every night for the past two weeks until she had passed out from exhaustion. She was getting sick from lack of sleep. Still, no Marceline. <em>She isn't coming back…<em> Her heart felt heavy, knowing it was her fault Marceline hadn't returned. Tears stained her dress.

* * *

><p>Bubblegum had thrown herself wildly into ruling her kingdom and making it the best it could be. <em>If Marceline ensured this place existed, I'll ensure its wonderfulness. <em>A year passed. She thought of her vampire. _Is she still mine? _She was still hoping that one day she would just show up, with a soft apology for being gone so long.

* * *

><p>After that, she flew into desperation for six months or so. <em>What if something happened to her? What if she's laying dead somewhere and no one cares because she's a demon spawn? What if she's been burnt in the sun by some angry villagers? What if she has been overthrown and killed in the Night-O-Sphere?<em> She decided to go look for her. She was a princess, but Ooo be cursed if she didn't look at least once. She snuck out one day to Marceline's house. She hadn't been there in so long, but a place like that was hard to forget.

As she approached, she saw clear signs of someone living there, and for a moment, her hopes flew. She prepared a whole chastising speech for letting her worry so, and she knocked. Her heart fell heavily and hard when a boy in a bear cap opened the door.

"Oh. Hello." He said, blushing slightly as though something were embarrassing. "I-I'm Finn." He stammered.

"Hello, Finn." She said politely, as was her royal obligation. The boy was residing on her land after all, and that made him her subject. "I'm Princess Bubblegum of the Candy Kingdom. Tell me, how long have you lived here? How did you come to possess this house?"

"Finn, who is it?" A yell came from inside, and soon after that, a dog appeared at the door.

"Jake, this is Princess Bubblegum. Princess, this is my brother, Jake." She looked at him, utterly confused. _Surely a dog and a…a whatever-he-is cannot be related. _Sensing her confusion, he explained. "I was found in the woods and adopted. I'm not a dog, I'm a human."

She blanched. Humans should have been extinct for a thousand years, and here one was before her. She chose not to question it. _He doesn't look like anything else, that's for sure. Perhaps he will be interesting to have around. _She nodded at him.

"As for the house, we found it abandoned around a year ago. But like, it didn't look like it'd been lived in for a while, y'know? So we moved in, man. It's right in the middle of Ooo, and we're total adventurers so it's like, super perfect! Right bro?" He asked Jake the Dog.

"Yeah, Man!" was the reply, and she looked on as they pounded fists. _More than a year. She's just vanished._

"Why do you wanna know, Princess?" The boy asked. She shook her head of thoughts of Marceline.

"Just looking for the previous tenant. Thank you for your time." she turned to walk away. "I'm sure I'll see you again, Finn the Human!" She yelled as she walked back home.

"Y-y-yeah!" Was the stammered reply

* * *

><p>The next six months were spent hating Marceline. <em>She wants to disappear from the face of the planet, fine! Wants me to worry about her, fine! Doesn't tell me if she's alive or dead, fine! She's the heartless one! She's the one who left! She's the one who didn't fight to explain! <em>All blame was cast on the Vampire by the candy girl, though the fault truly fell entirely to Bubblegum.

* * *

><p>She was practicing for her Whistling Death Match when she heard it. A laugh so familiar, yet so foreign, she couldn't believe it was real. <em>It couldn't be…<em> She walked slowly over to her window and looked out and there she was. After two years, she was just there, laughing with Finn. Bubblegum had never been more furious. _She thinks she can just waltz back here! She thinks she can just be friends with Finn and be all cheery and whatever as if nothing happened! That…Ass!_ She thought scandalously, loving but hating the fact that the vampire herself had taught her that word.

"Greetings Finn!" she said brightly. "Hey, Marceline…" She acknowledged with clear disdain.

Marceline wiggled her fingers in a teasing wave at her. "Hello, Bonnibel."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Well I actually liked it. Kinda just tumbled out. Had a vision of PB with the apple, and this followed. A request from _Silenthill _on "How they deal with the break-up." (Don't worry, Marci's chapter will be later, and I think it'll be a little less of a downer.)**

*****SUGGEST please SUGGEST please SUGGEST please SUGGEST*****

**I mean it! Compliments are lovely! Just lovely! But I implore you, request scenes! I know you want scenes from them! I know you're out there thinking, "Man, I wish _that_ were in a Bubbline fic!" AND I DO TOO! So please, request. For those of you reviewing, thank you oh so much. For those of you just reading...I know you secretly want to ask me for scenes. I know you do. I see you. Yes you. Just sitting there, thinking 'oh man, she's talking about me' and I am. I am talking about you. Yes you. Sitting at your laptop. You have scenes you want. Ask. It'll be awesome, I swear. **

**-JD**


	15. An Old Friend

Chapter 15: An Old Friend

Marceline had actually decided to go to the function. She wasn't sure of its purpose, she wasn't sure what kind of business would go on there or if it was a business thing at all. All she knew was that it took place in the Candy Kingdom, and that's why she was going. _Hell, after this ball or meeting or whatever is all over, I can sneak off with Bonni and have some real fun. _

The girls had entered a strange area when it came to their relationship. They weren't quite together, but they weren't quite apart. Sure, they shared a bed more than frequently, but it was upon Marceline's stubborn refusal to talk about her feelings that they weren't really _together_ together. Bubblegum had tried again and again to have Marceline open up, but after such a huge falling out, the vampire found herself closing herself off almost unwillingly. It was as though her brain would simply not allow the candy princess close again, even though Marceline's heart was totally in it.

Still, Bubblegum was glad to have the vampire in any degree she could at the moment, and Marceline adored being with the princess, as had always been the case. So tonight, Marceline (tease that she was) was going to force the girl through a whole evening where the vampire was one of the tightest, skimpiest dresses on the face of the planet. _Glob. Bonni's going to nag at me to come to more of these functions; well let's see how well she handles it when I show up in this. _

Marceline was not conceited, but the dress absolutely made her smolder. It was tight, black, with a red sash around her natural waist. It ended about as high on the thigh as one can get without ending where a shirt would. There was a strange, moving quality to the fabric that made it swirl. This wasn't surprising; it was made in the Night-O-Sphere (for a Queen) and things there worked a little differently. It was almost inky in its movements. To save what little modesty the outfit allowed, Marceline wore straight black stockings to cover her legs, and completed the look with red heels.

Yes, Marceline was definitely going to turn more than one head tonight, and (unlike usual) it wasn't going to be because she was the Vampire Queen of the Night-O-Sphere. She smirked to herself in the mirror. _Alive or dead, candy or animal, everything with a brain is going to be looking here tonight. _

Marceline floated her way over to the palace and into the ballroom, where (it seemed) every ruler in Ooo was simply hobnobbing and chit-chatting. Marceline was beginning to remember why she had never gone to these things after the first few when a pink princess eyed her from across the room, a huge grin spreading across her face. Despite herself, Marceline couldn't help but smile as well. _If I had known showing up to one of these lame-o royal rallies would make her this happy, I would have done it like, forever ago. _She suppressed her smile into a one-sided smirk as she watched Bubblegum hastily excuse herself from the company of an incredibly obnoxious LSP and weave her way over to the vampire.

"Majesty!" She heard a voice say, though she didn't take it into account. She still watched as Bubblegum neared. "Your Highness!" the voice persisted, "Queen Marceline!" Bubblegum got there just as the name snapped a vampire head to the man who had called her 'Queen'.

Glancing over at Bonnibel before turning her head back to him, confusion etched in her brow, she took in the man's appearance. He was very familiar (a vampire from her realm), dressed in a nice black suit with a red tie. If you had looked at the two together, you would have taken them for a couple. The registration hit, and a smile spread across her face. "Marshall!" she said, hugging the boy before continuing, "What are you doing here? It's been what, a hundred years?" She heard Bubblegum clear her throat and decided (for once) to act like a civilized royal. "Oh glob! Sorry! Marshall I'm sure you know Princess Bubblegum. Bubblegum, this is Marshal Lee, the Vampire King!"

The two older beings laughed at that before he extended a hand towards the pink girl, who was so flustered, she could only limply lift her arm as he bent down and kissed it. "I didn't know you were married, Marceline." She eeped.

The two laughed again, as though they had known each other for forever. "No, princess. We just call him that. He's like, my royal advisor. We're old friends." She smiled at the girl. "He takes care of things while I'm away."

"Which is becoming more and more often, Majesty." He chided playfully. Bubblegum looked on at the two interacting and heat rushed to her cheeks, a fact that went unnoticed by the boy, but not unnoticed by Marceline.

She decided (again) to play tease, and feed Bubblegum's blatant jealousy. _After all, this was the plan all along, only now, I have a handsome, virtually identical to me being to play her hatred off of. _ She giggled at the boy and shoved him playfully. "You're the only one who calls me that, Marshall…I don't know _why _I let you get away with it…" she flirted.

Luckily, Marshall was more than used to her games, and decided to go along with it. Whomever she was trying to impress was sure to be jealous, he knew; and he loved playing pranks, even if they might be a smidge on the mean side. Besides, they were more like brother and sister than anything. They'd met around seven hundred years ago after a particularly brutal attempt on the throne due to Marceline's travels. He'd come up as one of the two vampires who didn't turn into animals when they became what they were, the other being the Queen herself. They'd become fast friends, and he maintained her realm when she was out, and considered each other pretty righteous.

"Any way, why are you here, dude? I thought only one representative of the kingdom came to these things." She was a little closer than she had to be, and she saw Bonnibel practically turn livid. She imagined steam coming out of pink ears.

Marshal laughed. "I attend all these things. Our realm," One didn't just drop the name Night-O-Sphere in a crowded room, "needs to have a delegate at all these functions, a permanent task you so bestowed upon me around five hundred years ago, Majesty." He mock bowed and kissed her hand.

"Oh! How smart of me. I do usually avoid these things like a plague." The two laughed.

Bubblegum was reaching the end of a very, very short rope. Really, it was more like a small chink of rope that she had. Here these two were, both vampires, both from the Night-O-Sphere, both old enough to go back at least five hundred years, both laughing and being flirtatious. Bubblegum had never known herself to be jealous, but she couldn't help but absolutely hate the boy who was trying to come in and steal her Marceline. She cleared her throat. "What exactly do you _do _for Marceline, pray tell?" She said, voice oozing with disdain. She didn't have to worry about him, if he was offended, relations with the Night-O-Sphere wouldn't suffer as he wasn't the ruler. He never would be and he knew it.

Marshall smirked at the question and took Marceline's hand again, giving it a peck, saying, "Whatever her Majesty wishes of me."

And then he had the audacity to wink at the Vampire Queen. He winked at her Vampire Queen.

Marceline laughed. _Have to love Marshall. Dude knows what's going on without even knowing who it's for and he just goes with it. _The two shared a knowing smile and he quirked an eyebrow in a silent question as to who this performance was for. Marceline's smile got bigger and she glanced quickly between Bubblegum and the other vampire before turning to Bonnibel and saying, "So, Princess. What exactly is the purpose of this function?" She glanced back at the boy and recognition was written on his face. She could see him nod his head ever-so-slightly in approval and a little bit of surprise. Marceline had had many conquests, but never a pink princess and almost definitely not someone whose lineage could be traced back to the Night-O-Sphere. He could easily see where the Princess could get jealous and haughty; while all of Marceline's others would have been a little more lewd about it and thinking of three people in bed instead of two.

Bubblegum stepped closer to her (yes, her) vampire. A little more than friendly close, the dual vampires noticed, but no one else seemed to. "Well, Marci, this is one of those Galas one holds when every kingdom is in peace. It's a chance for Princes and Princesses and Kings and Queens to meet and chat and be…amicable." She said, eying Marceline a little (a lot) less than subtly.

"It's practically a dating service." Marshall interjected, and watched as the pink girl flushed. "I'm surprised no one has snatched her Majesty away from us yet, single and gorgeous as she is." Marceline giggled again, and he stepped closer to her.

This was seriously going to cause a fight in the middle of a peaceful gathering.

"How do you know she is? From what I gather, you two don't see much of each other!" Bubblegum said hotly without thinking, and fought hard for her hand not to reach out and wrap a possessive arm around Marceline. To protect her from this-this v_ampire_.

Marceline had to fight back laughter. _Because there is no way like, ever, that I'd date Marshall._

"True," Marshall said, "But we share everything." He said, a slightly suggestive tone in his voice. Before a pink explosion ruined the whole event his stomach grumbled.

"The strawberries are on the far table." Bubblegum said coldly.

He laughed. "Oh no, only our lovely Queen has mastered that skill. But fear not, I'll return home for a meal. And seeing as her highness is here, I'll be making my permanent leave as my services are not required." He straightened his coat as Bubblegum backed away subconsciously. This vampire _was_ a bloodsucker. "Yes, it is a remarkable thing, her ability to eat red. She'll always have this taste of strawberry about her, wont she?" He laughed before a fiery portal opened beneath him and all of a sudden he was gone.

Bubblegum had time to think of seven ways she could kill him before he was gone completely. What business did he have knowing how Marceline tasted? When he was gone completely, she silently grabbed the vampire queen and dragged her through the palace to a dark hallway somewhere away from the party. Marceline smirked, and had a strange sense of déjà vu. _If a little teasing always gets her this hot and bothered, I should totally do it more often._

The vampire was shoved against the stone wall of the hallway and she watched as Bubblegum visibly shook with anger and frustration. "You…He...!" She stammered, words not finding their way into her mouth. For a moment, Marceline was truly expecting to be slapped, until her shoulders were force completely back into the wall and a searing kiss was planted heavily on her lips. _This is totally better than waiting until after the lumping meeting. _Marceline thought, as a dominant Bubblegum attacked her lips. She was pulled back and pushed hard into the wall again as the candy princess nipped at her jaw-line fiercely, only to have the bite marks disappear a moment later.

Bubblegum grabbed tightly at Marceline and whispered angrily, "Don't heal." Before tonguing Marceline's bite mark and sinking her own teeth in two half moons around them. Marceline had understood with those two simple words. Bubblegum wanted people to know the vampire belonged to someone. Someone who wasn't afraid to mark her. She groaned at the pleasure-pain from the candy girl's almost-too-hard attack of her skin, palming harshly at her chest over her dress.

She was more than ready when Bubblegum yanked down her tights and underwear, not even caring to remove them completely, and plunged two fingers deep inside her. Marceline let out a yell that echoed down the hallway, grabbed onto the shorter girl for support, feeling like her knees would buckle against the wall.

The pace was quick, hot, heavy, and beads of sweat lined both of their brows. They would never get enough of each other, even if they tried. Their breaths mingled in the same air. "Your mine, Marci." Bubblegum said, softer than to be expected. "Tell me."

Marceline cried out as the candy girl added a third finger, never relenting her pace.

"Tell me!" She said again, a little more demanding, but still with a strange softness.

"I–I–I _Oh, glob!_ I–I'm yours! Ahh! Bonni!" She screamed out loud at her climax, standing on her tip-toes and arching hard into her lover; after she wondered after if anyone at the party had heard. She collapsed onto Bubblegum.

Whispering in her ear, Bubblegum said. "It worried me. Scared me. You have so much in common with him." Marceline caught her breath and stood on her own.

"Yeah. But he didn't drag me into an empty hallway and have his way with me." She smirked at the candy girl's embarrassment.

Bubblegum cleared her throat. Still, Marceline didn't talk about how she felt, even though the pink girl did at every turn. "Well we better get back to the party."

The princess turned to go, but a hand stopped her. "Ah-ah-ah Bonnibel." She said, waggling her finger side to side. "I'm not the only one leaving here marked." Bubblegum's eyes widened because indeed, Marceline hadn't healed the circular ring of teeth marks that encompassed her vampire scars.

Slowly, seductively, Marceline rolled the pink girls long sleeve up just a bit. Licking softly and keeping eye contact, Marceline bit down into the girl, and closed her eyes as she drained just a bit of pink from her. Bubblegum's eyes fluttered shut at the mind-numbing at the sensation. Really it was one of her favorite feelings, and turned her on more than anything.

A small grey spot appeared on her wrist, and the vampire pulled away, tugging the sleeve back down over the mark. Somewhere in her fuzzed over head, eyes cloudy and wandering with desire, she heard Marceline say, "Don't forget who you belong to either, Bonnibel."

When the princess opened her eyes, the vampire was gone, apparently back to the party. She sighed into the air. "I'd never forget that. I belong to you, Marci, always."

It hurt Bubblegum how much she was in love, and how much they never talked about it.

She'd rather a piece of Marceline than none at all.

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><p><strong>AN**

**Wooo! Another (smutty) chapter all finished! This one comes from _LittleMissMisfit _who wondered what if 'Princess Bubblegum gets jealous because someone likes Marceline' I figured it could just be perceived liking on Bonni's part, as I've set up that most people disapprove of our undead Queen. Hope you liked it!**

**! ! ! ! ! REQUEST ! ! ! ! !**

**I thank you all for the amazing reviews and requests from last chapter! The response was wonderful! I'll try my best to get to all of your suggestions.**

**-JD**


	16. Junk

Chapter 16: Junk

It wasn't a special or unique night when it happened. If anything, it was more boring than the other nights the two had shared. Bubblegum had an overabundance of work, and had been reading and signing documents all day and still hadn't finished; so she continued with Marceline over, who didn't mind at all. The vampire floated idly over the pink bed, mindlessly plucking at her bass, simply enjoying the presence of the younger girl.

Bubblegum sighed at her desk, prompting Marceline to speak. "Why don't you just turn in for the night, Bonni? You've given more than enough time to your kingdom for the day, I should think." She teased.

The princess let out a small grunt of disapproval. "Well we can't all have kingdoms that don't require their monarchs, Marceline." She turned a little in her chair to face the Queen. "Honestly, how do you do it? You're here almost all the time…"

Marceline floated over to her, noses practically touching. She relished in the way Bubblegum's cheeks flushed. "Well, Bonni, you're only sixteen. Maybe you just don't know how to manage a kingdom as well as I do…" she watched as the princess' cheeks puffed up.

"I resent that, your _Majesty_. I have been running my kingdom wonderfully, thank you very much." She crossed her arms, work forgotten in the moment.

Marceline smirked wickedly, realizing the attempt to make her upset. "You know I don't like it when you call me that, Bonnibel." She snaked her tongue out a little, hissing quietly.

"Well we can't all have a thousand years experience! And how well can you run it when you're practically never there! I have treaties and mergers and parties and all these things I have to approve and sign. You must live in a very peaceable to not have to really be there."

Marceline laughed out loud. If there was one thing the Night-O-Sphere wasn't, it was peaceable. She visited home often enough to assert her power, and that was all she needed to do. There wasn't really any taming of her realm. "I go home enough, Bonni. My realm doesn't really have too many treaties and things to sign anyway. Most steer clear." She floated back over to the bed and sighed a little. There wasn't a lot of room for acceptance when it came to demons, vampires, and monsters.

Bubblegum rested her head on her arms over the back of the chair. "Why is that?" She asked innocently.

Marceline tilted her head forward to catch a pair of deep pink eyes. "Well, would you want to laugh it up in a realm where the ruler is a vampire? Most people tend not to like me."

Bubblegum got up and walked over, sitting down on the bed and twisting Marceline's head around in the air to face her. The candy princess understood completely. Marceline had been her friend for ten years, her girlfriend for two, and still she saw peppermint glare at the vampire whenever he saw her. "Well I like you." She said simply, placing a reassuring hand on chilled skin.

Marceline smiled sadly, and that's when it happened. That's when the horrifying realization washed over her like an ice bath. _I love her. I'm in love. Stupid, dreadful, painful, mushy, vulnerable love. Glob! When in the name of Ooo did this happen? I don't love! I've never loved. I am Marceline, Queen of the Damned and of Evil and of Night Terrors and…and I don't love! Yet here I am, wanting to grow older with her and be with her all the time and write songs for her and take her out and do everything possible to show my love but tell her_. She loved more than she thought possible, and had for quite some time.

She had loved Bonnibel since the girl was six, and now…now she was _in _love. And she had only just realized this.

She jerked away from the girl in mid-air, bumping violently into the wall behind her, eyes wide with fear. _I can't tell her. I can't. I mean, she tells me all the time, but she's told me since she was six! Oh glob, this is like, super bad. How do I handle this? I can't tell her, I can't! Vampires don't love! I don't love. Well lumps on that because apparently I do and apparently this lumping girl has stolen my heart guts from me. I ought to chop her head off for taking something of mine! _

Bubblegum's brow furrowed heavily in concern. "Marci are you okay?" She moved closer, only to have the vampire slink along the wall away from her.

"What? I'm fine. Like totally. One hundred percent." She lied. _Fine? I'm not fine, I'm in lumping love! Ugh! Over a thousand years and this has never happened. What do I do? Glob, glob, glob._

"Marceline, you're acting really funny. If this is about you're kingdom and ruling habits, I didn't mean to offend you." She was backed into a corner of the room.

"What? No that's like, whatever, man. I'm not acting funny. Am I acting funny? I don't think I'm acting funny." She spewed. Remembering she could fly, she arched up and over the other girl's head to the other side of the room. _I am totally acting funny. And weird. And in love. Can you act in love? I bet I've been doing it for a while without even noticing. Glob! What if she already knows? But she can't really know unless I tell her. Lumping lump of a lump!_

Bubblegum crossed her arms. Sure, Marceline had evaded topics before, but she was always sly about it. She had never so openly acted strangely about a topic. "Marceline I've been you're girlfriend for two years. I know when something is weird." She walked over to the vampire and took two grayish blue hands in her own. "You can tell me when something's wrong, you know…" She said quietly, offering her support to whatever Marceline was feeling at the time.

The two remained there for a moment, Marceline looking down at her girlfriend, and finding her resolve not to tell wavering. _She is everything I want, everything I need. Am I supposed to tell her that? Am I supposed to feel this way? What if it's not normal, what if I'm some sort of freak? _She gulped after several minutes had passed. "Bonni I…" Her jaw froze, protecting her from allowing someone in so completely after all her years.

"You…?" The candy girl prompted softly.

"I like love you and junk, okay!" Marceline screamed, hair flying around in nervous tendrils. "It's weird and stupid and I'm not supposed to because according to all the mythology I don't have a soul or whatever but you are just everything and I've loved you since you were six only I didn't know it and now I'm _in_ love with you! I'm in love with you and I'm not supposed to be able to at all and I don't know how it happened!"

Bubblegum was taken aback by the face paced scream rambling. She laughed for a good few moments after she had recomposed herself. "You love me? Is that all? Marceline you know I love you too." She laughed again.

Marceline tensed. "It may be not a big deal to you, but like, it is to me. I've never loved anybody, okay?" She confessed quietly. "And you're just…you're like all the color in the world and just…ugh…" She groaned and trailed off.

"…you've never loved anyone?"

"Well…I like love my dad or whatever, but I hardly see him and he really isn't the best. But I love him because he's my dad. You it's because you let me eat your strawberries and tell me you like me and can make me smile when you're just sitting at a desk doing paperwork and you make me forget about everything else and it just feels so, so right and a million other things I can't put into words and I'm being all mushy and junk and I just don't think love is something so lumping easy because it's a vulnerable thing and I don't like that!" She rambled again, heating up at the last sentence.

Bubblegum had a huge smile across her face. Everything Marceline had said was wonderful in a way she couldn't describe at all. "You are the world to me, Marci." She said quietly. "And I know I've been saying it since forever, but I love you too. Like, _in_ love, love you." They shared a soft kiss. "And I don't really think that it's junk at all."

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><p><strong>AN**

**Okay a bit shorter than usual but I like it all the same. This one is from _Silenthill_ who wanted 'the first time Marceline said I love you...' So viola! I might write another chapter and have it up today because of the length (_Monochrome Masquerade I'm looking at you_) or I might save it for tomorrow. Who knows._  
><em>**

**! ! ! ! !SUGGEST! ! ! ! !**

**Thank you all so much for the compliments and wonderful reviews. I'll try to get to all the suggestions. In a few chaps I'll put up how Marceline dealt with the break up. In a few. Thanks all so much!**

**-JD**


	17. Undying Love

Chapter 17: Undying Love

Bubblegum lay in her too-big bed surrounded by her too-big covers in her too-big room with too much space. She was scared. No, she was terrified. The doors to her window rattled angrily against their hinging, and the wind blew fierce and angry. Her room was dark, and she cried, wishing someone would come in and keep her safe, because it was scary outside and cold inside. Whatever was going on with the weather she had never seen or felt or experienced before, and it was more than the most terrifying thing she had ever seen.

It was a blizzard.

She didn't know why it was happening, or how. In fact, she couldn't remember it ever happening in all her five and a three-quarter years (and that's a long time) and she wished it to never to happen again. But more than that, she wished for Marceline. She whimpered into her blankets. _Marci is always here. She would make me feel better. She always makes me feel better._

Of course, these thoughts didn't do much to assuage her feelings. If anything, it made her unbridled and young fear worse, knowing that she was entirely alone. The storm pounded ferociously at the doors, and the little girl cried out helplessly. Breathing heavier and heavier, she sobbed out loud, "I. Want. My. Marci!" (Because even then, the vampire was hers.) She bawled and bawled, cursing Ooo and glob knows what else for whatever this terrifying thing was that was scaring her. She shivered, the blankets not enough to stave off the cold in the room.

When she thought it couldn't get any worse at all, the storm flung her balcony doors open, causing the snow and sleet and hail and wind to rush howling into her room and smash glass all over her floor. She let out a scream, and hoped with all her might that someone would save her from this monster that was the weather. "Marceli-i-i-ine!" She cried out, screaming with all her might. She curled up into herself, turning away from the blistering winds as much as she could.

She felt the side of her bed dip, and a voice cooed out to her. "Shh…it's okay, little one. I'm here." She turned over and saw Marceline looking at her with worried, caring eyes. She flung her arms around a pale neck and cried feverishly into the older girl. It was as though her thoughts and cries had called the vampire to her. In a way, it was true, as Marceline knew the girl was more than likely to be scared, and fought her way through the storm to reach her.

"I don't know what it is! And it's so cold! It's scary and I don't-I don't–!"

Marceline wrapped protective arms around the small pink girl. "It's okay, Bonni. It's okay. Oh you're freezing! Come on; let's get you out of here." And with that, the whimpering girl was carried away (floating, she knew) to some other room in the castle. She didn't look where, too absorbed in the comfort of her older companion.

Soon enough, she was set down on a chair, with a big blanket wrapped around her. She hadn't noticed Marceline even bring it. Still, the wind rattled the windows. The vampire hurried about in the dark room, tossing wood and logs into a large fireplace. With a snap of her fingers (a few times-it wasn't a candle) the flames in the fireplace sprung happily and warmly to life. Bubblegum sniffled and looked around.

"The-the library?" A small smile tried to pry its way onto frightened lips.

Marceline walked over to her and floated low to low at her in the eye. "Of course. I know it always makes you feel better, little one." She offered a kind, reassuring smile, fangs poking out just a bit more than usual.

The young princess was about to return it, when a sudden gust of wind rammed its way harshly into the windows. She grabbed again for Marceline. "Marci make it go away!"

Marceline pulled the blanket off the child and set them both down in the one chair, wrapping them both up. "Does she frighten you?" Marceline asked.

Bubblegum sniffled into the vampire again, completely soaking through her shirt. It seemed she had dried herself off from the storm before picking the girl up from her bed. She was a vampire, after all (and who knows how far her capabilities went). Bubblegum looked up at her friend. "Sh-she?"

Making eye contact with the candy girl, Marceline feigned surprise, though Bonni didn't notice. "You mean you don't know? Bonni! I thought you were such a brain lord that you knew everything!"

The little girl just shook her head and asked again, "She?"

"Of course!" Marceline began to explain. "Don't you know that all the weather is a woman in the sky?"

Bubblegum's brow furrowed. "That isn't true…"

The vampire gasped a little. "Of course it is! And the earth is her lover!" Bubblegum stared wide-eyed at the wiser of the two. "Don't you know when it rains, those are her tears. And when the thunder rumbles, those are her sobs. And when the lightning strikes the earth, those are her fingers, reaching out to touch the love of her life; who is separated from her so completely; her fingertips can barely reach him."

Bubblegum's little mouth had fallen open a little. Everything seemed to click into place. "But what's this? And the sun? And the clouds?"

Marceline laughed at the girl's enthusiasm for her story. "The sun is to show her happiness. She's alive and so is he, after all. The clouds she paints in the sky for him, to show all the wonderful things she feels for him. But this…well it's a blizzard. Did you know that?" Bubblegum shook her head and cuddled closer to Marceline, the blanket and fire warming not only her skin, but melting the fear in her heart.

The vampire put on a face of sadness. "She does this when she is in such despair, and is so alone, her tears turn into ice. Her angry and saddened howls turn into the violent winds. She misses her lover so much, she wishes on the entire world to feel how cold she feels without his touch. This is her angry at the forces that pulled the two apart. When it snows normally, she is so, so sad. So you see, we shouldn't be afraid of her. We should be sad with her, and offer apologies that the universe split the two apart."

Bubblegum's tears had completely stopped, but she was indeed saddened by the story. However, the harsh winds and piercing sleet no longer frightened her. "I understand Marci. But…it seems like she does all the work. What about him? Does he do things for her? How did they meet? What are their names?"

Unprepared for the sudden barrage of questions when it came to her made-up-on-the-spot story, Marceline froze for just a moment. She thought the girl would be pacified as soon as she was done being afraid. Of course, with Bonni's naturally scientific and answer-seeking nature, she shouldn't have expected anything different.

Marceline cleared her throat. "Well, he does do things. He tries to grow the trees to reach her and he hold life so she may look down upon all the beautiful things that life holds and creates." She saw bubblegum smile, and she smiled along.

"As for how they met and their names, well…Long ago the earth and sky touched. They held each other and loved each other more than anything. Their names are so old that they've been completely forgotten. They had forms, you see. Like…they could swim through the sky or run across the ground if they so chose. But the other beings in the universe were jealous." She was spinning the tale better than she thought possible, as Bonnibel was looking up at her, completely enraptured.

"They were so jealous that they kidnapped her and cast her permanently in the sky. And they took her lover and chained him forever to the earth so the two could never touch again. But it didn't matter, because no matter what, they always will love each other. And one day, they will break free of their chains, and that day is when they will be free to love each other again as they had done." She finished, and the pink girl smiled so brightly at the thought, that Marceline swore it warmed her up to the very core of her being. She didn't love the pink girl though. Never. (She did.)

The fire crackled and danced against the wind outside. "I want to have a love like that…" Bubblegum said quietly, sighing in contentment.

Marceline laughed. "A love that gets ripped apart by outside forces and to have a lover you can never touch? Sounds like a real paradise, pinkie!" she laughed again, turning completely out of caretaker mode. In fact, the story she told was quite appropriate. She was very old, and with that came wisdom and the ability to spin tales, or so all the stories say.

Bubblegum huffed, and crossed her arms stubbornly. "That's not what I meant, Marci, and you know it!"

"Oh I know it, do I? Tell me, what do you mean, then?" She teased.

"I want a love so absolute that nothing else matters; even what others might say or do to try and stop it."

Marceline laughed again and held the girl close to her. "Well you sure do dream big then, don't you? I've live over a thousand years and I've never seen that in all my life." She noticed the girl's face fall tremendously at the idea of it not being possible. "But-but I'm sure it'll happen for you, Bonnibel! If anyone deserves undying love, it's you." She amended. The small girl brightened visibly at the thought.

"Oh Marceline! Do you think so?"

The older girl laughed, as was her habit in the company of the candy princess. "Like, I know so! It'll be totally mathematical and epic and super awesome!" Bubblegum hugged her fiercely.

The two sat peacefully for a while, until Marceline capture Bonni's attention again. "Look," she said, jutting her jaw towards the windows, "She's calming down. Maybe it's something her lover said to her, huh?" Indeed, the storm had practically passed, and the moon was casting its rays through scattering clouds, the snow turned light and powdery.

Bubblegum nodded, and yawned. She hadn't slept at all when the storm had been raging, though apparently the rest of the house had slept right through it. "I think he told her how much he loves her…" She mumbled dreamily as she drifted off in the vampire's arms.

Marceline lifted her up and carried her back into her room, placing her gingerly onto the bed. She smiled as the girl curled up into herself, a half-smile gracing her features as she went into happy dreams. She looked at the balcony doors. Only one or two small frames of glass had splintered, so she figured there was no danger. She ran fingers through her hair, preparing to leave.

Leaning over the small girl in the bed, she wiped stray pieces of candy hair from Bubblegum's face. "Marci?" The girl mumbled through sleep.

"Yes, little one?"

"You are my favorite person in the whole entire universe."

The vampire laughed lightly. "And you're mine." She got up and exited the room, closing the doors softly behind her, making her way home before the first rays of sunlight made their way into the sky, beginning what would be a quick process of melting away the evening's snow.

Somewhere in the Ice Kingdom, the Ice King got over a temper-tantrum he'd been having about losing one of his kidnapped princesses.

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><p><strong>AN**

**This one is indeed from _Monochrome Masquerade _who said, 'it's cold and snowy out. Marceline and PB cuddling by the fire' Actually seconded by _Toolazytosignupforanaccount _who (among [many] other things) wanted 'Marceline comforting PB during a thunderstorm (or something) when she's a kid' Blam! Two-for-one!**

**REVIEW AND SUGGEST!**

**Bonus points to you if you caught that Maceline is undead, and therefore capable to give un_dying_ love. You get me...you get me? Winner. _Toolazy_ I'll try to hit all of your suggestions eventually (_even_ the tentacle one [filthy]) and thanks so much! Also, just realized most of this fic is what is considered 'fluff' which is hilarious because I thought I was (more than) terrible at writing it! Hahaha!**

**-JD**


	18. Ways to Do It

Chapter 18: Ways to Do It

"Marceline I don't know if I can do this…" The candy princess said quickly, backing away from the door and into the Vampire Queen.

Marceline took a deep breath and sighed. _I guess I should have known better…_To Marceline, it didn't seem that hard at all. Lady Rainicorn was on the other side of the door, and Bubblegum had promised to tell her. _Lady isn't a very good best friend if Bonni thinks bad things are going to happen when she's told. I mean, grod, she probably already knows! _She heaved a sigh again.

"I mean what if she hates me or disapproves or never wants to speak to me again or tries to hut one of us or–"

"Bonni." Marceline said quietly, cutting off the nervous rant. "I'm not…I won't force you, Bonnibel, but…" she turned her eyes down, still terrible at telling her feelings. "Bonni this means a lot to me and, like…I just-I mean I wanna–" She grumbled, the sappy words fighting to make their way out but fighting to stay in all at the same time.

The candy girl looked up at her, nerves still etched clearly on her forehead. "Want to what, Marceline?"

Marceline's entire body clenched up and she floated animatedly off the floor, hair flailing, body buzzing up and down. "I-just-wanna-be-able-to-wake-up-to-you-in-the-morning! Grod!" She forced out, all in one word. _Ugh! Why does she make me feel all this gooey un-vampire junk? Oh duh__–__I'm in…like love or whatever…with her…_She sighed again, opening her eyes to look at her girlfriend. "Look, Bonni…it's just Lady. We already agreed that she probably knows! I mean, she's like, your best friend! And if she doesn't support you that she's just a–"

Soft, sweet lips cut off her hurried explanation, pink hands having pulled her lower from her hover. It was short, but not too short. Soft, but not too soft. In a word, it was perfection to the Vampire Queen. _She always knows just how to kiss me…_She let out a contented sigh as the two parted.

"You know I want to be able to wake up to you, too, right Marci? More than anything." Pink hands never left angular features. "And I'll be pickled if I'm going to let myself stand in the way any longer! So we're going to march in that room and I'm going to tell Lady and then everything will be one-hundred percent fine!" Bubblegum announced, nodding her head in assurance.

A huge, unrestrained grin spread all across Marceline's face. "Oh Bonni, you mean it?" she asked excitedly. Before she could even get an answer, she had picked up the shorter girl and twirled her around mid-air in a giant hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she yelled over the girl's laughter. She lowered them both down and her smile softened. She grabbed Bubblegum's hand and placed it right over where her heart-guts would be beating and looked at her with sheer adoration.

Bubblegum understood. "I love you too, Marci. Now let's do this!" She opened the door to Lady's room and approached the rainicorn, clearing her throat more than a few times. "Lady I um…well I guess I…" She cleared her throat again as Marceline looked at her pointedly, offering support in her own teasing kind of way. "Lady I have something to tell you." She finally managed.

The girl (of course) replied in Korean. "**Yes, princess. You are at liberty to tell me what it is.**" She said in her own, off-beat way of speaking.

"Well you see I…what I mean to say is Marci and I–well really it's _we_ that–I mean us two–and it's been a while so we–Marci was the one who thought, rather–but I agreed!–and so here I am telling you!" She said in fragmented sentences, as though her long-time companion would understand the meaning she was trying to convey.

Of course, that was too much to hope for, as no one in their right mind could have made sense of the jumbled whatever-it-was that had fallen from her lips. Marceline stared at her for a moment, before bursting out in uncontrollable laughter. "Bonni–you're–such–a–dork!" She guffawed between gasps. Lady Rainicorn looked between the two and quirked an eyebrow.

Bubblegum bristled. "Well it isn't exactly easy, you know!" She huffed, crossing her arms. "Anyway I'd like to see you try…" She added quietly without thinking, as she almost always challenged the vampire when she was teased.

But of course, Marceline heard her (vampire ears) and decided to push her further. "Oh I'll try, all right! Hey Lady, guess what? Bonni and I are–" A hand quickly found its way over her mischievous mouth. The candy princess knew all too well what Marceline was going to say, and it was far too intimate for anyone else's ears.

"What the nuts, Marceline! I didn't mean for you to actually try!" she scolded. "And what you were going to say was…_private_..." she whispered hurriedly, hoping Lady hadn't heard.

"Well, Bonni, you shouldn't issue a challenge unless you expect it to be met! I am the Vampire Queen, after all, and I never back down." Came the taunting response.

"Marceline will you please just let me do this!" Bonnibel said, far too exasperated for anymore of the vampire's playful antics.

"Sure…if you can get a whole sentence out this time. I mean…I've like, _never_ seen you struggle for words, Bonni. Well…_almost_ never…" She laughed a little and wiggled her eyebrows; the princess' face went scarlet at the innuendo.

"Marceline!" She chided fiercely.

Holding up her hands in defense, Marceline acquiesced to her defeat. _Glob knows Bonni always wins. All she has to do is say my name like that anyway. _"Okay, okay. I'm done." She said

Bubblegum cleared her throat and turned back to Lady who, unbeknownst to the two lovers, had been watching the whole exchange very observantly. It didn't take a brainlord to figure out what was going on between the pair after a word volley like that, and she had always had some sort of inkling about the Vampire Queen and her Princess. Still, she waited patiently for Bubblegum to tell her, not wishing to steal the girl's thunder, and stood calmly with a smile edging at her cheeks.

"Right. Lady. As you could tell the subject has left me quite speechless, but that is not surprise considering that happens often when I'm…well it happens often when one is in my situation, you understand. You do understand don't you?"

Lady shook her head, laughing inwardly at the princess' nervousness. "**I am afraid I do not, my lady.**" She replied, even though she did understand completely. Who said she was above some light teasing herself? She glanced at Marceline, and winked. A smirk spread across vampire lips.

"Argh! Lady we have never had trouble understanding each other before and I cannot understand why you do not understand me now! It isn't a hard thing to understand and I think you would understand more than anyone else would understand and in fact you _should_ understand more because you are in a similar situation if it is my understanding!" She railed off.

Rainicorn laughed. "**That is a lot of **_**understanding**_** to be had, my lady.**"

Bubblegum, having grown more and more exasperated with each attempt (and failure) to make her companion get what she was trying to say, exploded. "Marceline and I are sleeping together and are in love!" she yelled, full force into the small room. She gasped and covered her mouth, quickly realizing what she had said.

Marceline hovered curled up and laughing off to her side. "That's one way to do it, Bonbon!"

Lady smiled full on. "**Well I am glad you are not doing one without the other, my lady!**" and soon joined Marceline in laughing and Bubblegum's unwitting confession.

The pink (red) girl removed her hand from her mouth. "You mean you are not…I don't know…disgusted or offended or some such?"

Lady shook her head and smiled at the still young princess. "**Perhaps I would be upset if I heard from somewhere else. Or perhaps if I thought Miss Marceline bad for you. But if you are in love, than what is there to do. It is a happy thing, no?**"

Bubblegum flushed full at her friend and wrapper her arms around Lady. "Oh I am so pleased! It's a happy thing indeed!"

Marceline looked on in approval. When the hug broke, a though arose. "Hey Lady, why can you understand English, but only speak Korean?"

"**My tongue and vocal chords are only equipped to handle one language.**"

Marceline nodded. "Makes sense to me."

Suddenly, Bubblegum realized her girlfriend completely understood Lady. "Marci since when do you speak Korean?"

"I'm a thousand years old, Princess_. Ich bin in vielen Zungen versiert_." She said, snaking her tongue out, causing the princess to blush and cover her face.

"Marceline you are so distasteful…" She said, very glad that Lady didn't speak German; for Marceline had just told her she was 'versed in many tongues,' and had made it abundantly clear that she didn't just mean language-wise.

* * *

><p>"Marceline I don't know if I can do this…" Bubblegum squeaked as a vampire hand went up and rapped on the door to the tree house in front of them.<p>

Marceline sighed. "Bonbon you said the same thing a week ago when we told Lady and that worked out fine!"

She heard a ruckus coming from inside the large expanse of a home and knew the boys were on their way. "Yes but that was _Lady_. This is Finn and Jake! And I did all the telling thank you! _And_ you know I don't like it when you call me that!" she rushed out in nervous anticipation of the door opening.

"So? This _is _Finn and Jake. And Beemo. And you did, with my push. _And…_you totally love it!" Marceline had leaned close and the two were nose-to-nose when the door flew open and Finn appeared. Bubblegum jumped back, but the vampire floated away lazily.

"Marceline! PB! Hey guys, what's up?" He said, a smile finding its way onto boyish features.

"Who's at the door, bro?" Came a call from inside, accompanied by the sounds of one of Beemo's games.

"It's Marceline and PB!" Finn hollered in. "Oh grod, guys! Where are my manners? Like, you can totally come in!" He said, stepping aside, letting the ladies enter.

Finn walked in past them and slumped down onto the couch next to Jake, munching on a sandwich. "So guys, what's up?"

Marceline looked to Bubblegum, who gulped audibly. "Right. Finn, Jake, Beemo, I would very much like your attention in this matter, if you please."

"Right Princess. You got it!" Jake said, not leaving his game. Bubblegum scowled, Marceline smirked (as usual).

Finn elbowed Jake in the ribs. "Pause the game, dude! This looks serious."

Beemo paused for the dog, and Jake groaned. "Man, I was about to get a high score!" Still, Beemo turned around and Jake gave his full attention to the two.

"Thank you, Finn." Bubblegum said. The boy blushed. "Right, as I was saying, there is something very important that I would like to tell you. It's about…" she cleared her throat, "it's about me and Marceline." Quite proud of herself for getting this far without half-sentences and stammering, she took a breath, only to be berated by two of the three who sat before them.

"Yeah what's with you two coming here together?" Finn asked.

"Don't you guys like, royally hate each other or some junk?" Jake added.

Bubblegum scowled a little. Marceline floated to her side, offering silent support. "No, Jake, we do not 'royally hate each other' or anything like that for that matter! In fact, Marci and I are, well…together." She said, and heaved a huge sigh of relief.

Of course, take it upon Finn and Jake to misunderstand. "Together? Well, yeah you came here together, but so? I don't get it. Jake?"

"I don't know dude. Maybe they mean like, they're together _on_ something. Like, we're together on this. But I don't know what 'this' is."

Finn nodded. "That makes sense. So what's 'this,' Princess?" Of course, Beemo sat quietly as an observer, as usual.

Marceline fought off laughter for her girlfriend's sake. _Those two can be such idiots sometimes._ Bonni scowled, quickly growing frustrated. "No, Finn. I mean _together_ together! Like, she's…she's my girlfriend!" She managed.

A moment passed in silence before Finn, Jake, and even Beemo erupted in laughter. "Oh man Princess, that's a good one!" Finn gasped.

"Did you think of this Marceline? Because dude, that is _wicked_ funny!" Jake seconded.

The three of them laughed on as Bubblegum turned to the vampire. "What are they talking about?" She asked, more than thoroughly confused.

Marceline looked at the three, observing their behavior. "I think they think we're pranking them, Bonni." Marceline said, and shrugged at the princess' flustered look, offering silent sympathies.

The laughter died down, and Finn wiped tears from his eyes. "I assure you this is no prank, Finn!" Bubblegum said earnestly.

"C'mon, princess, we called you out. There's no way that you'd go for _Marceline_." Jake said.

The vampire flew to him quicker than eyes could see and hissed, "What's _that_ supposed to mean, dog?"

Naturally, Jake quickly slinked behind Finn and away from the all-too-frightening Marceline, whimpering a little.

"Marci, knock it off." Bonni upbraided lightly. Ever the faithful servant to Bonnibel's wishes, Marceline softly retreated back to her girlfriend's side.

Finn put his hand on his chin, thinking. "Hmm…all right, if you want us to believe you, Marci, tell PB you love her." He said, pointing from one girl to the other.

"What?" The vampire gasped. "Why can't Bonni tell me?"

"Because it's probably easier for Peebles to say it. She could like, mean as a friend. But if _you_ say it, you _mean _it. 'Cause I've never heard you say it before."

Marceline gulped, and looked nervously between her expectant girlfriend and an equally expectant Finn. Really, the boy looked like he had won. He had his hands on his hips and a triumphant air about him. The vampire took a deep breath and sharply turned to Bubblegum. "Right." She took a breath. "Bonni." Another. "I luh...I-I-I" she stammered. The vampire turned desperately to Finn. "Look can't we just kiss or some junk?"

"Marceline!" Bubblegum gasped. "You can't even tell me?"

And just like that, two conversations started at once, completely overlapping each other.

"It's not like it's easy for me to say in the first place!" The vampire explained.

"See I told you it was a prank." Jake said to Finn.

"But to even suggest such a thing in front of company! It's private, Marci!" The princess said.

"Well they did seem kind of serious." The boy replied.

"And like emotions aren't? I've never said it in front of anyone the way I mean it with you!" She argued, hovering half a head above the princess, nose-to-nose.

" Yeah dude, but just look at them! There's no way. They fight like, all the time!" Jake said, and they glanced at the arguing girls for only a moment, not taking in any of the conversation.

"Well I've never kissed in front of anyone else! It's personal, Marceline! Personal!"

"Perhaps this is how they show love to one another, yes?" Beemo asked the boys.

"Well I'm more comfortable with physical shows than verbal ones, so to me, _that's_ more personal!"

"Naw, Beemo, no way! I don't think that's how people in love act." Finn said, trying to explain to the robot.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Bubblegum yelled.

"But it is possible. Love is expressed different ways?" Beemo asked again.

"Well physical stuff didn't seem so _personal_ when you yelled at Lady that we were sleeping together!" Marceline hollered back.

Of course, Jake only picked up on a fraction of that sentence. "Whoa, you yelled at my Lady?" He said, in a 'thems fighting words' fashion.

"Shut up, Jake!" the two yelled in unison before turning back to each other, breathing heavily. They stared intensely for only a moment, before peeling out in laughter.

The three watched each girl gasp and shake in laughter. "Girls, man…" Jake said.

Beemo put a heat on his screen, and Finn just shook it off. "No Beemo. But I know what you mean, Jake. Like, no sense."

Their laughter subsided for a moment, and Marceline gasped, "All because Finn and Jake won't believe us!" And they erupted in laughter once more as the boys looked on, absolutely confused. Their entire stupid argument had been caused by those same boys not believing them, and they both found it utterly ridiculous looking back on it.

Finally, each of them caught their breath and wiped tears from their eyes. They looked at each other and turned towards the door. "Bye Finn, bye Jake, bye Beemo!" Bubblegum said as they walked out.

"See ya!" Marceline seconded, and closed the door behind them as they left, leaving it up to the boys to decide whether or not to believe them.

As the two walked home, Bubblegum said to Marci, "Do you think they believed us?"

"I guess they can make their own way on that one, Bonni."

"What was that all about?" Jake asked back in the tree house.

"You don't think they really…?" Finn responded in open question.

"Nawww…" The dog replied, but looked confusedly at the door the two had left through. Marceline had left with her arm around the princess' waist. Beemo tapped his screen, which still had a pixilated heart showing on it.

* * *

><p>"Marceline I don't think I can do this…" Bubblegum said, standing on the cloud in Lumpy Space.<p>

For the third time, Marceline sighed. "Do we have to go through this every time? It's fine! I promise! Nothing bad has happened and we've told three people and a robot. Besides, we waited a whole month and you said you were ready."

Bubblegum shuffled nervously around. "But Finn and Jake don't even believe us still! And LSP is…different…she's such a gossip…" She said nervously.

Marceline grabbed lightly at pink shoulders. "The boys will totally come around. And we decided on LSP _because_ she's a gossip. She'll call up all the other princesses and you'll only have to do this in front of one person instead of a whole group. Remember? This was like, your own logic, here, Bonni."

Bubblegum nodded. "You're right. This is easiest and most logical." And Bubblegum knocked politely on the door.

LSP's parents opened. "Oh! Umm…Majesties of Lumpy Space, is LSP home? We'd like to talk to her, if you please." The princess said in her most civil tone.

"Of course!" the King said.

The two of them turned around. "LSP!" The Queen hollered quietly, if that was possible.

"What, ma? What do you want?" Came the voice of their daughter, who slowly came into view. "Oh my glob, ma! Why didn't you lumping say PB and Marceline were here? Ugh! You are so embarrassing! Just leave us the lump alone!" She yelled, full of annoyance. She grabbed Bubblegum's hand and dragged her through the house and Marceline followed after, exchanging small bows with fellow royalty, as was the appropriate thing to do between Kings and Queens. Princesses she figured she could slack on.

Soon enough, the three of them were in LSP's room with the door firmly slammed shut behind them. "So like, what's up?" She asked, as she started gobbling down on a large pile of sandwiches.

"Well, LSP, really it's not that big of a deal but–" Bubblegum began

"Oh my glob, drama bomb! What is it, what is it, what is it?" She asked, floating up and down in quick succession.

Bubblegum cleared her throat. "Well, um…Marceline and I are together." She said simply, finding it easier and easier to say. And in fact, it was like a weight off her shoulders, not having to keep it a secret anymore. She and Marceline shared a smile.

"Oh. My. Glob." She said, and quickly picked up her cell phone. Dialing frantically, she was soon had her intended target on the other line. "Jake! Yeah! LSP! You'll never guess what PB and Marceline just told me…..no, they said they were like, lumping together! …..They told you too? …..A prank? ….." Bubblegum turned to Marceline and the vampire just shrugged. The princess tried to find it in herself to care, but just couldn't. She had the weight off her chest and was happy. That, to her, was more than enough. Whether or not people believed at this point was entirely up to them. "No. No, Jake I gotta go!" She hung up and dialed another number. "Hotdog Princess? …..yah, LSP. Guess what PB and Marceline said? ….."

The Lumpy Space girl lost all interest in the couple she was talking about who, ironically, were in the same room. Marceline floated up and rested her head atop Bubblegum's, wrapping her arms around a pink neck. Bubblegum's hands clasped onto the vampire's forearms, and they swayed slightly. "Well, there you go, Bonni. The information makes its way from princess to princess." Marceline said, looking on as LSP gossiped from one girl to the next.

Bubblegum just hummed in contentment at the feeling of the other girl's arms wrapped around her. "I guess a royal announcement is next…" She said lazily.

"Yeah, I guess so…"

* * *

><p>"Marceline I don't think I can do this…" Bubblegum said.<p>

Marceline didn't sigh. "Yeah, dude…I totally get that…" she said, looking out the window, past the balcony and on to the giant crowd of people that had formed to hear the Princess' important royal announcement. _I frickin' hate public royal announcement junk. Never do it in my own realm. But then…guess that's a little different. _Things were always a little different in the Night-O-Sphere. That's why the couple hadn't gone off to tell anyone Marceline knew. One: Everyone there probably already knew, because they are just sneaky and conniving like that. Two: no one would care if they didn't know and found out. Three: If they held a thing like the one Bubblegum was holding to publicly tell the Candy Kingdom and all the adjoining Kingdoms, no one would come. People there aren't exactly civil.

"Marceline I really, really don't think I can do this…" Bubblegum reiterated.

Marceline just nodded. "Call it off. You're the Princess; you can do whatever you want!" She said. The Vampire Queen didn't even want to go _out_ there, even if all she had to do was float next to Bonni as she made the announcement.

The two stood right inside of the double glass doors that led to the balcony. "If we stay here we're going to be late to our own convention." Bubblegum said, shell-shocked a little that she had even decided to do this.

"It's really soon after LSP. I mean, it's only been like two days. You could totally wait, if you aren't ready, I mean…" Marceline mumbled.

"Are you afraid?" The princess asked quietly.

"Terrified." Marceline responded even softer.

Bubblegum nodded in understanding. If anything, Marceline was more at risk than she herself was. People could think that Bonni had been hypnotized or threatened into it or any number of things. Any way it could go, the Candy Princess was completely safe. "We have to go out. I have my speech all ready. I practiced it like, a bunch."

"Okay." Marceline said simply.

"And all these people are here…" Bubblegum said, convincing herself.

"Okay" The vampire said again.

"Right." The princess nodded. "Right." And she opened the door, stepping out with Marceline floating beside her, a large had and long gloves and pants protecting her from the sun. The vampire made the executive decision to float upright, almost as if she were standing, and held her best posture, even though she kept her eyes just slightly downcast.

The crowd quieted of its own accord.

Marceline waited patiently for Bonni to start speaking, praying for it to be over and to come out on the other end alive(ish) and well. She heard nothing. The vampire glanced over at the pink girl to see her absolutely frozen, mouth gaping and eyes wide as she stared at the crowd below them. She turned in concern to face her girlfriend. She was going to say something, but just then, a steely resolve dominated pink features.

Bubblegum turned abruptly to Marceline, grabbed her by the shoulders, pulled her in, and kissed her full on the lips.

Marceline floated shell-shocked for a moment, before losing herself in her girlfriend. They kissed slowly, languidly, and the crowd didn't matter. LSP didn't matter. Finn and Jake didn't matter. Lady didn't matter. In this moment, it was just the two of them, so in love they could care less where they were because the world melted away in the most exquisite manner when they kissed like this. All too soon, Bubblegum pulled away, and Marceline's eyes snapped open.

"We're in love! Deal with it!" Bubblegum shouted out to the crowd.

Marceline laughed. "Now that's the way you do it, Bonni!" And she wrapped the pink girl in her arms. Bonni clasped her wrists behind Marceline's neck, stepped on her toes, and the two floated up, just the way the princess loved. Marceline was kissing her again so completely, and Bonni was kissing her again in just the right way, that the crowd could have been rioting for all she cared and she wouldn't have noticed.

Under them, the crowd cheered; overjoyed to see their princess, neighbor, mentor, student, friend so in love and so happy…even if it was with a ruffian, hooligan, no-good vampire.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**This, of course, is their coming out. Hope you enjoyed it. It was suggested by various people, _Freecathugs, Toolazytosignupforanaccount, Monochrome Masquerade, _and _Tigerlilly22_. I hope I did the idea justice. (Yes? No? Hate? I'm [crazy stupid very] nervous about this one...) Also, I feel like this counts for Marceline teasing Bonni. Don't worry, she will do frequently throughout, I just don't know if I can write a whole chapter on it. So for the teasing suggestion there's _Shadowfox _and _AlexandraAuditore_ (but I feel like the undertone was in may reviews).Hope everyone was satisfied! (Nervous, nervous, nervous)**

**PLEASE REVIEW AND SUGGEST!**

**Sorry I took so long to update, but this chaps the longest yet, so...yay? (terrified, nervous, kill me now) Also, for those of you wondering about the story in the previous chapter, that was all me, baby. That's right, no inspiration (other than the weather), no former knowledge (other than the weather), just pure imagination (and the weather). Haha. So thanks so, so, so, SO much for the kind words and wonderful reviews. I think Marceline after the break up will be the chapter after next, for those of you waiting. Thanks so much and congrats if you made it through the whole (very long) author's note! Bonus points to you!**

**-JD**


	19. Pretending

Chapter 19: Pretending

Marceline floated idly, darkly, depressingly right outside of Bonnibel's room. It was almost a passive thing, as though she herself wasn't there at all. She was a shadow in the glass doorway of the balcony, residing just outside; watching, waiting, her essence seeping its way into the room. Her head hung low, her eyes looked up into the room, twisted tangles of hair found their way this way and that in the windless night. She felt like an outside watcher on the being that she was, that she had become ever since that year ago, when she had been dubbed a monster, a bloodsucker, a demon.

And it was all perfect Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum's fault.

So she floated ominously, angrily, vengefully right outside her room; waiting, just waiting. She didn't know what for, but she knew something was going to happen. She was going to do something this night. Yet, she had become so detached from herself; even she could not discern what it was. She could see herself, so clearly from the outside, and it frightened her. This person, this thing that smiled wickedly through pointed teeth waiting for her prey was not her, it could not be her. Her eyes glowed demonic, not the usual flares of color that accompanied anger, but sheer terror was struck into others through those eyes. They weren't flames or too big or anything unusual, but still they shone a hollow red, revealing nothing but anticipation for whatever it was this Marceline had in mind. She could see herself so clearly. It scared her.

Suddenly, both Marceline's became aware of the door into Bubblegum's room opening slowly, exhaustedly, and the princess herself entered. The vampire saw herself, or what used to be herself, smile wider, teeth jutting and sharp. She wondered what happened to herself. Still, both of them watched as a tired monarch set a large stack papers on her desk and sighed, sitting down to finish up a late night.

Marceline's brow furrowed. _This is her fault. She did that to me_, the girl thought, looking at her wicked self who, in frightening reply, turned to look at her as well. She felt scared, looking at whatever it was she had become. But then she realized: _A monster. She has turned me into a monster, turned __**us**__ into a monster. Look what she did…look what she did!_ Suddenly, she wasn't on the outside anymore, she was in this other her. It was dark and twisted, like chains lacing their way around you in a beautiful dance, only to strangle you once they finished. She came to the realization that she had control of this version of her. That perhaps she always did. Marceline opened the balcony doors slowly, without moving a muscle, and the lights in the room flickered out, leaving nothing but moonlight to flood and hide and create shadows where none had resided before.

The princess jumped at the lack of light, and looked at the dark figure in her balcony doorway that was the Vampire Queen, who still floated still, smiling darkly, depravedly, demonically. "M-M-Marceline!" She gasped in a combination of dread and happiness. A sickening oxymoron. She floated into the room, so still, yet so overpowering, that the girl shrank away from her.

"Hello, Bonnibel." It was her voice. It wasn't her voice. This sound was laced with ink and oil, heavier, thicker; drowning it something Marceline could not put a finger on. It was cold, chilling, quiet, yet filled the space with a sense of foreboding in its command. She imagined it was what the shadows you cannot begin to see sounded like.

The vampire advanced with such composed venom, Bubblegum stumbled back haphazardly, sending stacks of papers from her desk falling unnoticed to the floor. The pink her tried to make her way to the door back out to her palace, sensing something most decidedly off with the vampire. "Wh-what are you doing here?" She dared, trying to distract from the fact that she was backing to the doorway.

But Marceline would have none of it. She moved with devilish purpose across the room, having sealed the gap between door and wall long ago. There was no escape, and why the princess ever thought there was, was a mystery. "Oh…" She cooed in false concern, distaste eminent and overpowering as it slid freely from her tongue, "Did little Bonni not want to see me?" She laughed as the girl reached the knob and twisted frantically at it.

Pink eyes widened in horror as she realized there was no escape from whatever Marceline had become. "Wh-what happened to you, Marci?" She choked out, sweet, addictive fear seeping into Marceline like a drug.

Still, the vampire moved closer, watching as the girl shrunk helplessly as far into the wall behind her as she could. Jagged fingers and sharp nails found their way easily around a candy neck, lifting the small girl up and off the wall, her toes dangling mere centimeters from the oxygen she was being choked of. "Don't you know, Bonni? I've become what you expected of me..." Her hand tightened effortlessly around veins and bone and muscle and delicious, delicious blood. "A cold-blooded killer. A monster. A bloodsucker." She seethed, and sunk razor sharp teeth deep into the girl, puncturing veins and gobbling blood. Bubblegum screamed.

At the sound of it Marceline woke with a start, sweat beading off every pore as she clumsily fell off the couch she had crashed on last night and many night's prior. She held her pounding head and looked around. She was still inside the living room, nothing but grey stone walls that glowed slightly red from the outside flames and a tall ceiling. No TV, no nothing, really. Just portraits on the walls and a bland coffee table next to her. She was most decidedly not in Princess Bubblegum's bed chambers. _Damn tomatoes…knew I shouldn't have had them last night…_she sighed, tossing the blanket back onto the couch and flopping lazily on top of it once more. _Lumping dreams just have to become all lucid and meaningful and junk when I eat them. _She screamed a little into the very uncomfortable cushion, willing sleep to come again. _And of course it just had to be a __**fucking **__nightmare! And of course in the nightmare I was the thing she called me! A monster, a bloodsucker…the thing I'm most afraid of becoming…grod I hate tomatoes…I wish I could hate her…_

"All right, young lady; that is enough." Came the deep masculine voice. "You've been lying on that couch for almost a year, Marceline. Now either you tell me what happened or you get out and do something."

Marceline turned her head to the side so he could hear her. "Ugh…Dad…it's like, whatever, okay?" and she buried her face back into couch.

Hunson Abadeer sat down at her feet. "No, sweetie, it's not okay. Now tell me or I'll…I'll punish you severely!" He said, trying his best to sound convicted in the notion. "If you tell me what happened I'll tell you something!" he goaded. His daughter still didn't move. "Marceline I am no longer taking this lightly. Either you tell me, or I'll be forced to relinquish your title as Vampire Queen!"

She turned her head to the side as if it were a task, "You can't. I earned the title, and therefore, it's mine." She said simply, slumping back into her depressive position.

He had had quite enough of her sass. He turned into his full demonic self and echoed, "I am not letting this go, Marceline!" and let out a screech that sent the nearest demons into hiding. He heard his daughter mumbles something into the pillow. "What did you say?" he demanded in his most frightening manner.

Marceline finally just turned completely over, laying now on her back, and said, "I said, 'since when have you ever been able to scare me?' Grod dad…" And simple as that, a very embarrassed Lord of Evil shrunk back to his humanoid form. "Fine, I wanna know why you told me your name was Maddox."

He laughed professionally, as he was inclined to do. "Oh that? Those pesky humans gave me that name. Made me sound sinister or something, I suppose. Now will you tell me what's wrong?"

Clearly sensing that her father was in no way going to drop the subject, Marceline sighed heavily. "Whatever, dad…ugh…it was just like, a bad breakup or whatever, okay?" She mumbled, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest.

He laughed again. "Oh is that all? Marceline we're demons! It comes and goes!" He laughed again, as though it were a commonality to have ones heart broken.

It was at this moment in time that Marceline decided not to laze on the couch in her father's living room. "This like, totally blows!" She yelled at him, completely losing her cool, hair whipping around, eyes flaming. No, it didn't come and go this time. If it did, she'd be completely over the girl by now.

"Whoa, now, Marceline. Just calm down. I'm only trying to help!" Hunson said, as demure as ever.

"Well you like, totally suck at it, Dad!" And with that, she grabbed her axe bass and stormed out of the room, out of the castle, and out of the Night-O-Sphere. And that's how she found herself back in Ooo. She floated around the familiar settings, getting all too tired of them all too quickly. Everything around reminded her off Bonni, and she was sick of it. _I don't even know why I went back home in the first place. He isn't like, the best dad. And now I'm here and just…ugh!_ She dug her axe bass into the ground and yanked it out again. It was clear she wasn't going home and clearer that she had to get away from all the familiar kingdoms and people and settings.

So she wandered.

To say Marceline became a hobo would be a bit of an exaggeration. When she found herself a comfortable enough distance away from everything she had known for the past years, she was on the polar opposite end of the world, in a land whose name she didn't know, surrounded by people and beings she had never seen before. She strummed and sang throughout the day, picking up unfamiliar denominations as she meandered from town to town, spending it all nightly on a hotel room and whatever mystery drinks the owners would give her. She never stayed on the street, always making enough to have a cheap roof over her head. She would start (and end) fights. Enter illegal boxing matches, fighting matches, duels…anything and everything she could do to distract herself from the world and to help build up her walls once more. She left each location with what would have been scars, if she didn't have the capability to heal her skin up at the end of the day. She visited Fire kingdoms and oceans and forests.

In all honesty, it felt nice. Causing mischief, sucking red out of things that were meant to be red, gluing shoes to the floor, fiddling with electronics. For around a month, she even stayed completely in her wolf form and stayed in a pack. It was freeing, not having to think about anything, not having to worry about who thought what of you, because these were all people she would never see again. She spent months convincing herself in every way imaginable that she was completely over the candy princess. That there was no way she'd ever take her back, or be her friend, or let her emotions get the better of her again. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a little voice told her she was being utterly ridiculous, that she would always love Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum, but she pretended not to hear it.

Eleven months of aimlessness finally found her back in Ooo, back home, and with all new emotional walls that could never, ever, be brought down. The small voice in her head laughed at her. Either way, she floated up to the window that used to be her bedroom, only to find a boy and his dog telling ghoulish stories about vampires. She laughed to herself, figuring it was time to have a little fun. She waited for the dog to leave, and pushed on a particular creaky frame she knew about. Sure enough, the boy looked up and screamed at her shadow, and she quickly vanished again, slipping in through another window. Just like that, she hissed, and the two screamed. Chuckling, she asked, "Hey guys, what's up?"

After a hasty introduction and some mild conversation she kicked them out, it was her house after all. Only, a day or so later, a flock of bats made their way across the sky. One of them stopped by and told her about those same two kids squatting (again) in her cave, this time. Of course, she would have none of this, so she made her way over to her cave to kick them out a second time. Lots of implied terror ensued (she would have never turned the dog into a zombie) and the little boy fought her. Of course, she could have easily won (vampire) but the boy got one hit in and she conceded to truce. She kind of liked them after all. She even let them keep the tree house as a gift from her.

The next month, she build up her little home and creeped on the dog and his human for a bit. They went on all kinds of adventures, and she teased them mercilessly when the three of them hung out. Then, one day, she gets a call from the dog asking her to help make someone called 'PB' jealous. She figures why not, even after she finds out that PB is short for 'Princess Bubblegum.' She pretends that the name doesn't make her heart flutter in a good way; it flutters in an angry way, if it fluttered at all, which it didn't. (It did.)

And she pretends the disdain in Bubblegum's voice when she says, "Hey, Marceline…" doesn't hurt.

She pretends the teasing way she says, "Hello, Bonnibel." is in hopes of the monarch feeling embarrassed or angry, instead of happy and excited.

She also pretends that she isn't sabotaging Finn with her 'help' and is truly just making honest mistakes based on what she herself likes.

She pretends she doesn't still love Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Obviously, Marceline after the break-up. I hope it was enough, I liked keeping it kind of vague, like Marci. But I think the dreams tells a lot about how much it affected her. This one's from _Silenthill_ and_ Monochrome Masquerade _specifically. I know you all were waiting for this one and I hope it was okay... (insert writing insecurities here)  
><strong><em>AlexandraAuditore: <em>I know! I'm sorry about the lack of description, it's just that I super duper hate writing it... I'm a feeling type of person I guess, so for me it's all about that. But I'll try to be better...!****

**PLEASE MAKE SUGGESTIONS! PLEASE MAKE SUGGESTIONS! PLEASE MAKE SUGGESTIONS!**

**I'm getting a lot of first kiss requests so that'll happen sometime. Also lot's of zombie and Ice King requests, which will also happen sometime, if inspiration strikes. ****For the rest of you, thank you all so much for the kind words and support! It warms my little would-be writer heart to hear you loving this fic. *Smiles and happiness and heart swelling* ALSO: http:/images1[DOT]wikia[DOT]nocookie[DOT]net/_cb20120502012821/adventuretimewithfinnandjake/images/d/d2/Marcy_in_ *GASM!*  
><strong>

**-JD  
><strong>


	20. It Feels Alive

Chapter 20: It Feels Alive

Bubblegum had grown used to the most exquisite feeling of waking up next to Marceline in the mornings. It had been a full month after the royal announcement and, save for the days Marceline had business at home, she had spent every night (much to Peppermint's constant disapproval) in the Candy Castle. The Princess turned to face her girlfriend in bed and sighed in ultimate contentment, the look of happy peace on the vampires face filling her with a joy that swelled warmly in her chest. _Being in love is putting it mildly, I should think. In all probability, there is not a way to describe how I feel for her._

Marceline grumbled slightly and tugged Bubblegum closer to her by the arm draped over a pink hip. The candy girl giggled at her childish aversion to the waking hours. _Considering she doesn't require sleep at all as far as I'm aware, and not being a morning person as she is, why sleep at all?_ She giggled again as the vampire squirmed her way expertly into the crook of Bubblegum's neck. _I wish I could stay here all day with her like this._ But still, the girl had a kingdom to run after all, so she tried to pry herself from undead arms, to no avail.

"Noooo…" Came the muffled whine from an all-too-comfortable Vampire Queen, as she tightened her grip formidably around her lover.

_Oh she is just too juvenile sometimes…_Bubblegum gave a sigh of amusement before attempting once more to free herself from the hold, though she had no desire at all to do so. "Marci, come on…I have a kingdom to run!" She said quietly, trying to coax the other if not out of bed herself, than at least to release her. _But all I want to do is fall back into wonderful sleep with her. _

The room had been outfitted with extra-thick curtains in order to keep out the sunlight in the mornings before Marceline had time to prepare for its burning properties, so it was the ideal for sleeping in late. Bonni, however, never did. Her body was hardwired on an internal clock that had her getting up early to run her kingdom, no matter how much sleep (or lack-thereof) she had gotten the night prior. Recently, her lack of sleep had been more noted, as a certain late-night visitor almost always found her way into Bubblegum's bed in the evenings. The same late-night visitor who now had a death-grip (so to speak) on Bubblegum's waist, and was in no way letting go.

For her part though, the candy princess was not putting up much of a fight. She laughed into Marceline's skin. "Honestly, why sleep at all if you're going to be this way?" She questioned, teasing playfully.

Suddenly, she found herself face to face with those deep obsidian eyes that captured her breath at every turn. A look of light confusion clouded Marceline's brow for a moment before she said simply, "Because I enjoy waking up to you, of course." It was as though the vampire had never thought there was any other reason in the world at all, and it made Bubblegum blush ferociously.

Now it was she who was burying her head into Marceline's neck, and a raspy chuckle from the girl was her quiet reply. "Honestly, Marceline, must you say things so candidly?" She mumbled, embarrassed, into the vampire's scars. _She is so lovey-dovey for a girl who is so terrible with her emotions. How can she be so sweet?_

Marceline gave a hearty laugh as though she were in on a joke that the princess was not. "Don't you know?" she whispered softly into Bubblegum's ear, "I learned it from you all those years ago, little one."

The old nickname caused even further embarrassment. It wasn't as though Bubblegum was ashamed of their long-term relationship, but sometimes Marceline made her feel like a child. And when she thought back on how she acted and how she spoke to the older girl back then, she always tended to flush. "I was painfully blunt, wasn't I?" Came the shy question.

"Painfully?" Marceline questioned in mock offence, "Painfully? Never! Wonderfully, adorably, childishly blunt." The words seeped love.

_Even if it's hard for her to say it, I can't ever imagining questioning that it was, is, and ever-will-be there. _Bubblegum sighed, finally deciding to fully apply herself to getting up and getting to work. "It's odd that we've known each other my whole life, but only a small fraction of yours." She said, sitting up fully on the bed before making her way over to the closet to get dressed. She felt Marceline's eyes on her and smiled to herself. "Still, I am ever so glad I fell in love with you." The princess murmured, as though it was a secret to be kept.

She pulled on her under-clothes and dress, hearing the shuffling of Marceline behind her. When she turned from her closet to go over to her vanity, the fully clothed Vampire Queen was there with a soft but firm look in her eye. _She is a wonderful array of contrasts. _Slowly and deliberately, Marceline grabbed Bubblegum's right hand and placed it gently but pointedly over her non-beating heart guts. This had become a kind of code for the two of them for when Marceline wanted to say 'I love you' but simply couldn't say it. Bubblegum took a small step closer and placed her forehead against her girlfriend's, "I know, Marceline." She said softly, only to feel the girl shake her head lightly and press her own hand harder into her chest. It was a little confusing to Bubblegum, who didn't know what to make of it. "Marci I know you love me. It's okay that you can't say it. I know it to be true." She said earnestly in response to the motion.

But the vampire only shook her head again, pressing even harder into her chest. "Feel." She said simply, and Bubblegum looked at her as she fought for the right words._ Feel? What is she talking about? Honestly it's like we speak different languages or something. _Still, she waited patient (as ever) for the girl to express herself. "It…you…it feels like–" But before Marceline could find words at all, a crashing from one of Bubblegum's windows made the lovers jump apart.

"Princess!" invaded the raspy old voice, "I have come to kidnap–oh. I didn't know you were having a sleep over! I _love_ sleepovers! Once, Guther and I had a sleepover and–"

"Is this guy like, for real?" Came the harsh tone of Marceline's voice, cutting the Ice King Off completely, more than perturbed at his interruption of a tender moment between the two. Bubblegum, however, showed a collected annoyance laced with anger.

"I am afraid so, Marceline. He is, however, hard to believe. As none of his attempts have worked thus far…" She said, trailing off and casting a glare at the man who remained floating in a beam of light shone through the broken window. _Honestly, why can't the man just give up?_

"Hey!" He whined, "Don't cut me off! I was in the middle of something!" He landed softly on the floor of the princess' bedroom before clearing his throat and continuing on. "As I was saying, I have come to kidnap you and take you away to be my bride!" He cackled a little.

Marceline snagged her axe bass of the floor and held it defensively in front of her. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second, old man. You think you're going to do _what _now?" she asked, a clear explosion apparent in her voice. Bubblegum shied away a little, finding herself strangely concerned for the well being of the Ice king (of all people) because Marceline looked like she was going to chop his head off. _Oh, he really doesn't know what he's getting himself into…_she found herself cringing, and nothing had even happened yet.

"Oh I'm sorry," The Ice King responded, "Did I mumble or something?" he cleared his throat stupidly. "I said, _'I'm going to kidnap her and take her for my bride!'_" He yelled slowly at the vampire, before sending an ice beam to freeze Bubblegum's hands together.

"Oh this is just ridiculous…" The candy girl mumbled, rolling her eyes.

Before he could even begin to make his way across the room, a very angry Marceline was standing in front of him, eyes flaming, teeth jutting, and hair whipping around angrily. He squeaked a little in fear, shrinking back away from her. "Okay you obviously have like, no idea who you're messing with here, dude." Marceline said, the demonic layers of her voice chilling even the Ice King. "I am Marceline the Vampire Queen. And there is like, no way that you're taking Bonni anywhere! She's with me, okay? And that means from now on, you're going to be dealing with _me_ if you want trouble. Not Finn and Jake, me." She said pointedly.

He eeped and sent a stray ice beam her way, freezing her whole body still, which she angrily, frighteningly, and impressively (at least to Bubblegum) melted off her body in a flash of fire and heat. "Um…Listen, Ice King? I highly recommend leaving in advance before anything bad happens to you…" Bubblegum suggested quietly, eyeing an ever-raging Marceline.

"But if I stay in the sun, she can't hurt me. She's a vampire, right? Sunlight, vampires…right? So I'll wait it out and kidnap you then!"

Marceline had finally had enough of him. It surprised Bonni she had lasted as long as she had at all. _She really is getting better at controlling her temper…_ The vampire, despite the burns, reached fully into the ray of sunshine and yanked the Ice King out of it, sending him flying across the room and smashing harshly into the wall. She laid a couple punches in on him before lifting him by the scruff of the neck and flying him off the floor of her volition, not his. The man whimpered in her grasp, and she opened her mouth in a demonic howl, showing all her teeth and shape-shifting Night-O-Sphere insides which (almost literally) sent the man shrinking into himself. A bruised and battered Ice King was dropped to the floor limply, and Marceline shouted after him as he ran, "Try that again and I'll rip off you're lumping beard!"

When he was long gone from sight, she turned back to Bubblegum and scratched her neck in embarrassment. "Sorry I lost my temper, Bonni…" She said, before walking over and sitting down on the floor next to the candy monarch. She began to melt the ice with a small flame she held in her palm.

"Quite alright, Marceline. Understandable, even. It was actually…" She trailed off, stopping herself before she said something embarrassing.

Marceline (as always) caught the beginning of her faux-paus and smirked at her. "It was actually what, Bonnibel?" She asked in her usual sly way.

Bubblegum huffed. _Must she always catch me and ask with that slick voice and just be so lumping irresistible? _"It was-what I mean to say is-when you-all throughout-and you stood up for me and…" She began to stammer out, unnerved by the intense look in Marceline's eyes. "It was very…ahm…a-a-arousing…seeing you defensive and a-a-angry like that…" she managed.

If possible, Marceline's eyes got even darker, and the vampire girl moved her hands, encasing Bubblegum between them. Bonni hadn't even noticed her own hands were free before the vampire slowly, precisely, began to crawl her way over her lover, the candy girl lowering herself to the floor. "Y'know, Bubblegum…" Marceline rasped devilishly, "We could just stay in here all day…you and me…you've just had a traumatic experience…" She began peppering those wickedly teasing feather-light kisses along Bubblegum's neck that made the candy girl moan and her eyelids flutter in spite of herself. "No one would blame you for taking the day off, Your Highness…" the vampire licked a path from Bubblegum's collarbone up to her ear, causing an involuntary shudder to flow through the candy girl. "Well Bonni?" Marceline whispered seductively, knowing already that she had won.

For a second time that morning, a loud noise invaded the room, but Marceline and Bubblegum, too caught up in each other, hardly noticed until Finn yelled out, "Princess! We saw Ice King come in and…um…Princess?" He asked, blushing furiously at the intimate position his two female friends were in, lowering the sword he had come in so wildly brandishing.

Bubblegum's whole face turned scarlet while Marceline smirked, floating her way off of the candy girl and over to the boy. "Don't worry Finn. Just checking to make sure Bonnibel here was all peaches. Isn't that right, Bonni?"

Bubblegum, at the simple call of her name, had snapped out of her reverie and imagining of the other girl still on her and sat up briskly. "What? Oh-oh yes. You see Marceline here was–uhm–well that is to say he did attack and–she melted the ice but–my well-being was in question so she was just, um…in-in-inspecting me for possible injury." She stammered, still heated from her exchange with a certain Vampire Queen.

"See? All good. Just checking' for injuries, dude." Marceline said, trying her best to hide the sarcasm and tease in her voice.

"But…why were you here in the first place, Marceline?" Jake asked.

Bubblegum had finally stood up and made her wait over to the rest of the group, who all stood at her slammed-open doorway. "Well honestly, Jake, I thought it'd be obvious by now…" She said, brushing her skirt of wrinkles.

"Why would that be obvious? Did we miss something? And who took care of the Ice King anyway…?" Finn asked, looking from girl to girl quickly.

The two shared a glance, and Bubblegum sighed. "Marci I think they missed the announcement a month ago…"

Marceline burst out laughing, and continued to laugh as she floated about the room. _Well she isn't going to be any help…_ Bubblegum turned back to the boys. "Right. Finn, Jake, you definitely missed something. Also, Marceline took care of the Ice King, of course. But…about a month ago we made a royal announcement. Were you not there?" She asked, speaking simply for the boy.

"Wait, was that the thing in the Candy Kingdom at like nine in the morning? Yeah we slept through that." Jake asked, scratching his chin.

"Oh yeah! That thing! I totally forgot about that! How'd it go, Princess? What was the announcement?" Finn asked.

Bubblegum sighed, burying her face in her palm for a moment, before saying gently, "Look, Finn. I hate to break it to you _again_, but Marceline and I are actually, factually together in a committed relationship with _one-another_. Do you understand?"

The boy looked utterly devastated. Eyes big and shining with unshed tears, he stammered, "But-but that was…and Jake said…it-it w-w-was a p-prank!"

Marceline, who had regained her composure, floated down and next to Bubblegum. In a strange display of empathy, she didn't tease him, but instead said, "Sorry, Finny, it's true. We tried to tell you, dude." She shrugged sadly for him.

Finn shook his head angrily. "No! No I won't believe it until I see some proof!"

"You would have if you went to the announcement…" Marceline mumbled, earning her an elbow in the gut from Bubblegum.

"Really, Finn, how would that make it any better? What would you have us do that would make this easier for you?" The candy princess asked apologetically.

He sniffled, tears threatening severely to spill over. "I-if you were in love, it'd be o-okay…B-better…Y-you both have to say it, though…" He sniffled again, and Bubblegum felt a small flare of anger rise up in her. _Of all the things, he asks for the thing Marceline has the hardest time doing! _She knew her anger was ungrounded, but she was mad nonetheless. _We shouldn't have to prove anything to him! _

Still, she was determined to get the young man off her back for good. She turned to Marceline and grabbed her two hands, spinning her around mid-air so they were face to face. "Marci I love you and it's okay if you can't say it. Finn's just being a patoot about it and I know it's hard for you and I know you love me and that's all that matters. If you can't say it I still love you and you still love me and just because Finn won't believe it doesn't mean it's not true. You do whatever makes you comfortable, Marci." She said firmly, and nodded once.

Marceline took the princess' right hand again and pressed it to her lifeless heart guts. "It feels alive with you, Bonni." She said quietly, hardly catching pink eyes in embarrassed intimacy.

The sentence was so simple, so short, yet it spoke volumes. It was everything the candy princess herself had been trying to sum up. When words fell short and there was no description for how she was feeling, those simple words had always been what she was chasing. With each other, it felt alive, everything felt alive. Tears instantly sprung to Bubblegum's eyes and she attacked Marceline with a fierce hug, wrapping her arms around the taller girl's neck before the tears fell. "I love you so much, Marceline." She whispered, and the two stood and hugged.

Finn and Jake, who had watched the whole exchange, felt like outsiders looking in. It was more than obvious that they weren't even there to the two girls who stood before them, who were in their own little world, away from everything else but each other.

"Dude, they're in love." Jake said simply. And Finn had no choice but to agree with a small tinge of sadness, but an ample amount of happiness for his two friends who were so happy with one another.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Another chapter complete! I feel like there was a long gap between this one and the last one, so sorry if it felt that way to you, too. This is from _AdmiralBlakeUnicorn_ and_Toolazytosignupforanaccount, _who both wanted and Ice King encounter, and _Madison the Vampire Queen _who wanted Finn walking in on Marci and Bubblegum in some situation. In case you're wondering, I didn't mean to intentionally knock off two suggestions at once (I'm not that lazy, I swear!), I just always figured Finn would bust in playing hero after Marci already took care of the Ice King. Haha!**

**REVIEW AND SUGGEST!**

**I want to thank you all so so so much for the reviews! I'm at over 60 now and it means so so much that you guys are enjoying this fic! Thank you, thank you, thank you and please keep it up. It makes me happy to know that you are happy reading this. *Smiley faces and tears of joy and gratitude***

**-JD**


	21. Knight in Shining Flannel

Chapter 21: Knight in Shining Flannel

Bubblegum slumped pitifully onto her bead, burying her face fully in the sheets and (almost) wishing she would suffocate then and there. _Or be swallowed up by a black hole or bed monster of some kind. Or maybe I could just disappear off the face of the planet whilst they all just get on with their lives! _Suffice to say, she had had a bad (see: terrible, dreadful, awful) day with the Candy Council. Seeing as the princess was only fourteen, she was required to seek advice from a group of elder candy citizens when it came to running her kingdom. _Yes, __**my**__ kingdom, though those old…crabapples don't seem to remember that! _She huffed and (if possible) sunk even further into her fluffy sheets, not even the warmth and comfort from those assuaging her displeasure.

What she wanted was Marceline. _Why is it I always want Marceline? Oh who am I kidding…she's always been here and now that we're together it's just even better. I mean sure, we've only been on two dates and sure, we haven't kissed yet but it's my choice! Three dates, that's what she said. But then again, maybe I need to reevaluate that. She did tell me in a disconnected sort-of manner. _Granted, they may not have kissed, but the candy girl certainly thought about it (very, very, very) often. In fact, though she would never admit it, she thought of it almost as frequently as she thought of the Vampire Queen. Nowadays, it seemed the thought of kissing Marceline and the thought of Marceline herself were one in the same. _It isn't like you could blame me though…I mean…she's just so…everything!_

Seeing as sighing into her comforter and breathing were difficult to do together without her passing out from lack of oxygen, she figured she had best get on with her evening and hope and wish with all of her being that Marceline would come in and whisk her away to their third date so she could finally kiss the vampire. She had envisioned it so many ways, and every way (no matter what) had been excellent and wonderful because she had been kissing Marceline. It had been around a month of their being a couple, and she was getting quite tired of waiting. _Not that I can blame her, she does have a mystery kingdom to run and taking a girl on a date when no one must know and in the middle of the night too…I'm surprised we've got two dates under our belt at all…_

The candy girl sighed in a dreamy way, her thoughts flowing back to her girlfriend and how wonderful it would be to feel her lips upon her own. It was more than a passing fascination, considering Marceline's condition (vampire). _Will they be cold as ice? She's dead after all…what a thrilling sensation that would be! Or perhaps boiling hot for some strange reason. Maybe just normal. Oh and what __**would**__ Marceline kiss like? I bet she would be an excellent kisser and be all passionate and forceful. Oh no! Maybe I'm a bad kisser! Oh glob! Oh cabbages, cabbages, cabbages!_

She felt fear itch its way onto her face as she finished putting on her night clothes. Of course, all of her fears were pointless (at the moment) considering Marceline was nowhere in sight. Still, that didn't mean she wasn't around. The vampire had used her (seemingly) never-ending list of abilities to frighten and startle and tease the candy princess. The girl, put off by Marceline's apparent lack of arrival, sloughed onto her bed once more, this latest addition to her day putting the horrible icing of the dreadful cake. She hadn't felt like crying in so long, and now it hit her full force, bringing tears to her eyes.

Just as they threatened to spill over onto her pillow, a cheery fourteen year old voice said, "Why, good evening, Bonni!" The candy princess turned her head to the side to see a smiling Marceline entering through her balcony doors, which she almost always kept unlocked. Of course, upon seeing the state the young monarch was in, Marceline's smile instantly vanished. She floated over and sat (really sat) on the bed next to Bubblegum's knees, tucking one leg under the other. She placed a kind hand upon Bubblegum's head and asked, "Oh Bonbon, what's wrong?"

This, instead of making the candy girl feel better, made her feel worse, seeing as she was thinking about Marceline being wonderful which led to thinking about Marceline kissing which led to thinking about Marceline being a wonderful kiss_er _which led to thinking about the two of them kissing which led to thinking about her being a terrible kisser. All in all it was a domino effect of disaster as she plunged herself into Marceline's collar and cried about her Candy Council meeting and being a terrible kisser and never being able to go on dates and ruining Marceline's shirt with her tears.

The young monarch had a lot on her plate.

She cried and sobbed out unintelligible words upon Marceline, who held her diligently and cooed soft-spoken reassurances. Eventually, the worst of it all had past and, seeing her head much clearer, Bonnibel pulled slightly (only slightly) away from Marceline, sniffling as she went.

The Vampire Queen swiped stray hair from her face and put on an understanding smile, one of the ones she unknowingly reserved for the candy princess. "So Bonnibel," she began softly, "Why don't you tell me what's up?"

Sniffling again, Bubblegum's tears began to flow, but she managed to speak out as she wrapped herself in Marceline as far as she could go. "I had my Candy Council meeting today and they were all so terrible! I know I'm only fourteen but they went on and on about how I was just some irresponsible child with her head in the clouds and how I wasn't going to amount to a good ruler if I didn't buckle down and to drop all my silly science experiments and…and you!" She squeezed tighter onto Marceline, glad she couldn't breathe for surely she was choking her.

"Oh Marci it was dreadful! They called my experiments stupid and a waste of time and they said that you were just a no good scoundrel who was only being my friend because you wanted leverage over me–whatever that means! It isn't like you'd need it over me _for _anything! And then they just kept going on about how I wasn't being responsible or respectful of my post and it was just the absolute, lumping-est _worst_!"

"They said those things to you?" Marceline asked incredulously. Bubblegum only nodded. "You are their Princess! They should be happy to like, lick the bottom of your shoe!" The candy girl couldn't help but giggle, and Marceline took this as her cue to continue. "Do you want to know what I'd have done if I was there?" Bubblegum nodded again, not expecting Marceline to pull away quickly. She turned onto the bed fully and lay on her stomach to look at the girl

"Alright lookie here, Pinkie." She said, having floated over to the end of the room with the balcony behind her. "So all those old fogies just waiting to rot over are talking smack, right? 'You're wasting time.' 'You aren't a good ruler.' 'You're most awesome and amazing friend Marceline is a crook.'" She put on funny voices that sounded like an old toad, a nasal-y stuffed-up librarian, and a mean professor respectively when she imitated the council.

Bubblegum giggled again, her tears well on their way to being forgotten. "Marci, that isn't how they sound…" She teased.

The vampire's head snapped towards her. "Of course they do! How else is an old bunch of old council dudes supposed to sound? That's exactly what they sound like!" she said insistently, pulling another laugh from the candy girl. "Right, anyway, so, 'Blah blah blah and me, me, me and we're a bunch of old ketchup packets' and so I, Marceline, am peering through a window right?" She puts up her hands as though looking through a mirror, glancing over at Bubblegum, making sure she is listening. The Princess has a huge grin on her face, simply loving and drinking in Marceline's clowning.

"And I see my Princess getting more and more distraught by the moment."

"_You're _princess?" Bubblegum asked, a rare smirk finding its way onto her features.

"Of course my princess! You certainly aren't _their_ princess…unless you are, in which case…_ugh_…" Marceline gave a fake shudder, and watched devilishly as Bubblegum went from pink to red.

"Marceline that's like, super gross! Yuck!" She scrunched up her face like she'd eaten something sour, the thought of belonging to _anyone_ on the council giving her the yuckies.

Marceline laughed. "Right, so, I see _my_ princess getting more and more distraught under their torturous words. And just as you think you can't take any more–BLAM!" She jumped forward into the room a ways, brandishing her axe bass as though she had smashed her way through the window aforementioned. "In flies Marceline, you're knight in shining…uh…flannel!" she concluded upon looking down at her button up and realizing both its lack of shine, and its lack of being armor. Bubblegum gave a full hearted laugh that sounded like bells at that last sentence, and Marceline smiled for a moment before putting on her 'serious face' at the imaginary scenario.

"And so I say to them all 'You have like, no coolness at all, dudes!' And the one guy turns to me and says, 'But she has her head in the clouds!' and I take that guy and Wham-O! Carry that guy up to the ceiling and smash him right through!" She mimicked both the motion and the voice. "I laugh and say, 'Head in the clouds, indeed!' and I say 'indeed' because I know you like that word." She explained. "Then the next geezer turns and says, 'But her hooligan friend…!' and this guy is a cinnamon mind, so I suck him of all his red," she made a huge, wet slurping sound, pushing Bubblegum further, who was now laughing full blast with tears in her eyes at Marceline's antics, "And when I'm done sucking that doofus gray, I send him crying home to his momma! And then the last guy, 'she has stupid experiments!' he says."

Bubblegum calmed down a bit but still smiled as Marceline's voice turned a bit more serious. "To him, I say, 'You're a total idiot. Bonni's the smartest person in the kingdom, probably in Ooo, and probably on the planet so there!'" She turned to the candy girl and offered a sincere smile, floating her way back onto the bed and bringing herself face-to-face with the princess. "And then I punch his counseling butt right in the face." The last sentence was spoken quietly.

Bubblegum doesn't know why she does it or how it happened, but all of a sudden, she is kissing Marceline and it is _wonderful_. It's soft but passionate and kind and burning and Marceline's lips feel positively _electric_ and to say she felt sparks was almost literal. It was as though the entire girl was buzzing with the sensation of being kissed by Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum. The princess wasn't worried anymore; how could she be? Kissing Marceline was so natural, so easy; it flowed off of her and into her girlfriend like the sweetest honey. The vampire wasn't too pushy or too eager, nor was she too shy or timid. It was nothing and everything Bubblegum had imagined it to be. It was more than that. She felt as though she could die kissing Marceline, like breathing was unnecessary because that meant stopping. Still, all too soon, the candy princess pulled away, a dreamy look on her face.

Marceline smiled hugely at her, and this slowly pulled her from her reverie, a sense of dread washing over Bubblegum as she realized. "Oh, no!" she exclaimed. Marceline's brow furrowed in concern, but before she could voice anything, Bubblegum continued. "Oh Marci how could I? Oh no, oh cabbages! No I was not supposed to kiss you until after our third date and we haven't gone on our third date yet! This is terrible!"

Marceline looked at her a moment, checking to see if Bubblegum was for real, before breaking out in peals of laughter, causing the princess to go from distraught, to mad. "I–I–I'm sorry, Bonni!" She guffawed, "Is that all? I–I–I thought I did something wrong!" She gasped, before exploding with laughter once more. Moments passed, and she wiped a stray tear from her eye. Swooping down to face a haughty Bonni, she said, "Just give me a few minutes, 'kay Bonnibel?" And with a peck on the lips, Marceline flew out the balcony doors, leaving a stunned princess in her wake.

Bubblegum took to staring at nothing. _I kissed her. I did it. I kissed her. She didn't kiss me first, I kissed her first. I did it. We kissed…we kissed! Oh and it was amazing and I'm going to have to tell her that she has to come over every day because there is simply no way in Ooo that I can go a day without kissing her! Oh it felt like electricity and dusk light and old books and shadows dancing and just everything! And she tasted like strawberries and candy and everything sweet and Marceline all wrapped up into one! _Bubblegum, completely lost in dream-land, hadn't noticed Marceline come back into the room.

The vampire cleared her throat, and the princess turned to her, even dreamier now that the object of her affections was floating before her. "If you would be so kind as to accompany me on a brief fly, your highness." Marceline said with false pompous, giving a low bow and offering her hand.

Bubblegum giggled, and said, "Why of course, my liege. Please, lead the way." She said in her own fake 'royal' voice, before hopping into Marceline's arms bridal-style. They flew to one of the farthest and tallest roofs of her palace. There, Bubblegum realized that (somehow) Marceline had managed to get a whole café table and two chairs up there along with a complete pasta dinner with meatballs and Italian bread and butter. There were even two roses in a small vase at the center of the table.

Marceline placed Bubblegum down and pulled out a chair, pushing it in ever so gentlemanly as the princess sat. Marceline positioned herself across the table and scratched embarrassedly at the back of her neck. "The pink rose is you and the grey one is me." She said, motioning to the flowers in the center. "And I know it's just a pasta dinner on a roof top but it's all I could manage in ten minutes and I hope you count this as our third date and that it saves everything." She rambled nervously.

Bubblegum smiled that small smile that Marceline didn't know meant 'I love you.'

"Marci it's wonderful. It's perfect. And of course you saved the day; you're my Knight in Shining Flannel, after all!" they shared a small laugh, and ate their pasta under the stars.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**First off I'd like to say I am so so so so SO sorry for not updating in over a week! You all must want to hang me! It was just bad timing and a bunch of other junk. But there is no excuse! And I will try my utmost to be better! I promise! Obviously, this is their first kiss, so requested by _Mnemosyne_ and _XxMoonstarxX. _Hope it was okay! I actually really like this one. Thought it was cute.**

**PLEASE REVIEW AND SUGGEST!**

**I would like to thank you all and send all my love to those of you reading and reviewing this story. The response to this dinky thing has been incredible, especially seeing how small the community for Adventure Time is anyway. I was reading fics that are like, 'reviews=updates' and 'no new chapter until X number of reviews' and I want to punch those people in the face. That's writing for self-gratification, instead of for making people happy, which is what I hope I'm doing with this fic. Anyway I just wanted you all to know that it doesn't matter if I get zero reviews of 2834 reviews, I'll still write this, because someone out there is happy reading it. Next might be smut. You've been warned.**

**-JD**


	22. A Lesson

Chapter 22: A Lesson

The urge to punch something was almost overwhelming. Her eyes were burning a furious red, her hair whipped around in the air. Hands clenched and she fought against herself to not destroy something in the pink room. _Her and that__–__that __**human**__!_ No one really seemed to take into account that she could oh-so-easily suck Finn of his soul or tear him in two or rip his still-beating heart from his chest. _Oh no…no one thinks about the all-powerful Vampire Queen when they go off…when they are all…__**flirty**__!_ She thought the word with such disdain that the light bulbs in the room glowed from off to impossibly bright before popping, small shards of glass falling lightly into corners and onto Bubblegum's desk.

Marceline looked at the ruined bulbs and screamed into the room, a sudden wind whipping wildly about, the noise from the party, _Finn's party_, drowning out anything she was doing. All in all, the evening had not been going well. Bubblegum had thrown Finn (another) party for some hero junk he'd done and of course, the boy had taken it as a confession of love or some such. As was the case, he had hung around Princess Bubblegum all night (and was probably still at it) and she had been…encouraging. _Kissing him on the cheek and complimenting him left and right and hugging him and giving him those big smiles…those are __**my**__ smiles. She's mine!_

Marceline paced about, the resounding thud of her shoes hitting the floor causing a strange sort of satisfaction. _And I've been up here for how long and she hasn't even noticed? _True, they were in the in-between, sleeping together but not really together, but that didn't mean that Bubblegum wasn't hers. In fact, when she thought about it, it meant the exact opposite. _Okay we may not be like, together like we were before, but her body is mine. And everything her body can give. Everything __**she**__ can give belongs to me._ Possessiveness had always been ingrained in Marceline from a very young age. But the Vampire Queen wasn't jealous of Finn the Human, oh no. She was never jealous, Finn had nothing on her. The Vampire Queen was livid. She was beyond mad. And it was Bubblegum's fault. _And I'm going to teach her a lesson. I'm going to remind her who she belongs to. Who she's with…even if it is a weird tentative sort-of 'with'._

She didn't care if the affection Bubblegum had for Finn was for that of a little brother. The boy had been a thorn in Marceline's side for too long, as she was going to make sure that any and all affections, perceived or no, were going to stop. Marceline the Vampire Queen was in charge, this time around, and she was lumping well going to teach Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum a lesson she was never going to forget for years and years to come. The party had started at sundown and it was well past midnight when Bubblegum finally sauntered into the dark room. Marceline floated in the archway of the balcony, the moon back lighting her.

"Oh! M-Marceline! I was wondering where you were. You see I–" Bubblegum began. Before she could finish her sentence, she was forced back harshly into the door behind her, a gasp of breath escaping her as she hit. Marceline floated dangerously close to her, and Bubblegum knew better than to speak.

"Did you forget who you belong to tonight, Bubblegum?" She asked wickedly, the fire of lust and anger flamed by the sight of her lover.

"M-Marceline–" Bubblegum whimpered, but was stunted by a hand slamming forcefully next to her head against the door, causing another smaller gasp. It wasn't often Marceline turned so dominant, and Bubblegum hated to admit it, but the promise of what was to come made her quiver with very unladylike anticipation. Something dark seeped out of Marceline's hand and covered the door. With a dark chuckle, the shadow grabbed at Bubblegum's ankles and wrists, holding her firmly in place against the sturdy door. A lithe tongue snaked its way along the collar of her dress and up her neck, teasing masterfully at that spot behind her ear that made her go weak at the knees.

"Well, Bonnibel? Did you forget or didn't you?" Marceline sharpened a fingernail and dragged it slowly, teasingly down Bubblegum's front, tearing the dress down the center and revealing the skin between her breasts and her belly button. Marceline licked the long patch of pink flesh she had exposed, and Bubblegum squirmed and moaned helplessly against her shadowy restraints. The princess had never been this excited. It was embarrassing almost, but she was so willing to submit to Marceline, she cast modesty aside, the ache between her legs too much already.

"Marceline please–!" she gasped at the light graze of sharp fingers against her skin, the slight pain accompanying the scratches only furthering her haze of desire.

Marceline Reached under the torn fabric of Bubblegum's dress and pinched harshly at an already-hardened nipple. The candy princess cried out in pain and slight release, the one only exemplifying the other and causing a tidal wave of mindlessness to wash over her. She would do anything, _anything_, in order to gain her release, the need already far beyond overwhelming, the itch becoming too much. And she couldn't even pinch her legs together, held apart by Marceline's shadow as they were. "Answer the question." The vampire growled, "Did you forget whose you are?" She pinched again harshly.

"Yes!" Bubblegum managed to gasp out. "Yes I forgot! Forgive me!"

Marceline growled (yes, growled) and pulled away slightly. "That's what I thought…well I'm just going to have to _remind_ you!" She said, and tore away the remains of Bubblegum's dress fiercely, eyes glowing demonic red, shreds of the dress littering the floor in haste. Bubblegum whimpered at the domination, at the force of it. Once she was naked, Marceline pulled back just to look at her. The embarrassment of just being looked at, so exposed in every way, made Bubblegum lower her head, only to have the shadow attached to the door wrap itself around her forehead and hold her gaze straight at Marceline. She was desperate, and the vampire had barely touched her. She knew that Marceline had a strange effect on her, but this Marceline, the angry, sexual goddess (or demon, as the case may be) was taking everything to a whole new level.

"Did you have fun flirting with Finn tonight?" Marceline asked, slowly beginning to undress. With every inch of skin revealed, Bubblegum fought as hard as she could against her dark restraints, grunting with exertion, all to no avail. She _needed_ to get her hands on Marceline. "Answer me, Bonnibel." The vampire demanded strictly, pulling off he boots and pants, leaving only her undergarments on.

The candy girl was practically drooling at the sight, and, knowing better than to lie, answered, "Yes, I had fun tonight. I'm sorry. Please, Marceline, please!" she begged, pulling her body as far away from the door and as close to Marceline as she could, the girl having removed the last of her clothes. Moonlight filtered into the room. All of a sudden, Marceline was upon her, hand around her neck, squeezing not too tightly in power.

"And you thought you would get away with it?" she rumbled, her voice low and laced with outrage and lust. "Oh, no…tonight I am going to teach you a lesson, Bonnibel." She said, and bit harshly into a pink shoulder, draining its color. Bubblegum let out a yell of lust and want and pain and desperation all in one. She was close already, and Marceline hadn't but touched her twice. "Go ahead and scream. No one can hear you. Not tonight." The vampire smirked, dragging sharp fingernails along soft skin, leaving five slightly deeper red marks in their wake. She grabbed crudely at Bubblegum's chest and leaned in close as she massaged it. "I want you to beg me."

Moaning and gasping with every new move of Marceline's, breath panting and chest heaving, Bubblegum knew she didn't stand a chance. Abandoning every last reservation, she cried aloud, "Please, Marceline, please! I'm begging you! I need it! Please!" Sharp teeth nipped and sucked none-too-friendly at her neck, leaving their fair share of grey spots along the way. She strained against the ties.

Marceline gave one satisfying grind of her hips into Bubblegum, who cried out in ecstasy, and ceased her movements. "Need what, Bonni?" The vampire asked devilishly.

Bubblegum fell limp against the wall after that tease. Groaning as the desire was well on its way to becoming painful, she whimpered as tears sprung to her eyes. "I _need _it Marci. Please. I n-need you t-to…" Marceline looked at her expectantly, before biting into Bubblegum's breast in pain and draining some color. The candy girl couldn't take any more or she might very well explode. "I need you to fuck me Marceline! Please! Use me!"

Marceline's fingers entered her roughly, wasting no time. The vampire began pumping at an unrelenting pace bruising soft and delicate flesh as she went. "You're so wet for me, Bubblegum." She whispered, snaking a tongue along the ridge of an ear. Bubblegum was crying out in German and English and every other language and its tidbits everything she could thing of at the pleasure she was being given.

"Für sie! Für sie, Marceline! So good!" She cried out, thrashing as much as she could pinned up against the door as she was.

"That's right it is all for me. Remember that." Marceline said, feeling bubblegum begin to quiver around her fingers. She stopped her motions.

"No! Bitte lassen sie mich ausreden! Please let me come, please!" Bubblegum begged without ceremony. Marceline had all the power and the princess knew it; it had only ever been a matter of when and if the vampire would ever use it.

"You are not to flirt with Finn or encourage him at all." Marceline commanded, teasing cruelly at Bubblegum's entrance.

"I am not to encourage or flirt with Finn! I am not! I will not! Please let me come! Grod, Marci, I'm begging you! Bitte!"

Marceline growled again and said, "Appreciate your words, because when I'm through with you, all you'll be able to scream will be my name." And she plunged three deft fingers into the willing candy girl. A few more pumps and a curling of her fingers _just so _sent Bubblegum screaming over the edge.

"Marceline!" She hollered full force, the sheer power of her orgasm sending lights behind her shut eyes. She was seeing spots as the shadow melted from the door and she sunk to the floor, quivering and shaking in little aftershocks of pleasure. She groaned breathily, trying to catch her breath, but Marceline yanked her up off the floor and tossed her unceremoniously over her vanity desk, papers and pens and ink and hairbrushes flying everywhere, the desk itself scooting back at the force.

"Oh I'm far from done with you, Princess." Marceline seethed. Bubblegum clung to the desk for support, afraid of falling without it. A moment later, the vampire was back, clawing at Bubblegum's ass. "I brought a little something from home, Bonni. A little toy." The candy princess groaned as something that was definitely _not_ part of Marceline teased at her entrance. Mini-orgasms still shook through her body, and she wasn't sure if she could handle _that_, of all things. Marceline, however, thought otherwise, and plunged the strap-on all the way into Bubblegum on the first go-round, knowing her to be more than ready. She immediately started an unrelenting pace, slamming harshly into the candy princess, the pain only adding to her pleasure.

Bubblegum was screaming at the top of her lungs for her lover. "Grod, Marceline! Mehr! Harder!" The vampire yanked her hair gratingly, forcing Bubblegum to look in the mirror at herself as she was pounded into again and again with super human speed and force by her lover. Marceline raised her left hand from Bubblegum's hip and brought it scathingly down her back, scratching her along the way.

"You belong to me. You're mine." She said, wrapping that same hand around Bubblegum and rubbing furiously at the girl's clit.

"Ich bin dein! I'm yours! I'm yours!" Gasps and grunts and cries of intense pleasure filled the room and all at once, Bubblegum found herself cast into ultimate pleasure once again, crying out into the room. Before the girl could even register what had happened, she was on the bed with Marceline's face planted directly between her legs. Her second orgasm hadn't even passed yet and Marceline's talented tongue was working in her and around her and over her. Bubblegum managed to entwine one set of fingers through masses of hair while her other hand rest over her mouth. Strong arms held her hips in place as Marceline's long tongue entered her and pressed spots in her she didn't even know existed. Everything was Marceline, she was everywhere. On her, in her, around her. "Marceline…Marc–e–li–ne!" She screamed, as her third orgasm of the evening sprung on her unsuspecting body.

But the vampire hadn't stopped, hadn't even slowed down. "You're so sweet…" She mumbled, and reached a hand up to palm Bubblegum's breast. The princess' whole body was tense with pleasure as Marceline continued her expert movements. "Marci…Marci…es ist so gut…Marci…Marci!" she shouted, as her ever-building pleasure stacked another orgasm on her body. She was reaching height she hadn't ever known before. Next thing she knew, she was riding Marceline high up on her wall, the vampire pounding relentlessly into her with the strap on. Bubblegum's arms clutched Marceline desperately as yet another orgasm hit her full force. She was beyond words, beyond screaming. She repeated her lover's name like a mantra, over and over, as the girl didn't stop, but almost seemed to speed up at the latest breach of pleasure.

Bubblegum didn't know what part of the room she was in or how the two of them were. All she knew was orgasm upon orgasm wracked her body. At last, she registered the two of them were on the bed, Marceline still going at it, gasping and reveling in every inch of Bubblegum's body. "No…more…" Bubblegum managed. "Cant…Marci…no…Marceline!" She screamed, and went utterly limp; head lolling around, her body floating off to a plane of ecstasy previously unknown to her and (probably) any other being. The vampire had indeed stopped, and removed the strap on to lay next to Bonni as she drifted in and out of whatever world Marceline had sent her to.

"I told you all you'd be able to scream was my name." The vampire said teasingly, the anger still tingeing the edges of her words. "You will not flirt with Finn. You are mine." She repeated.

Bubblegum just repeated over and over, "Marci…Marci…" Before her body succumbed to complete and utter satisfied exhaustion.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Well then...yeah. So this one is from** **_AlexandraAuditore_, _Mnemosyne_, and_ Silenthill_ (who seemed very embarrassed). _Alexandra_ wanted a Dark Shadows crazy wild love making and _Mnemosyne _and (am embarrassed) _Silenthill_ wanted Marceline being dominant in bed. So...there. You. Go. Yup, this is a children's show.  
><strong>

**PLEASE REVIEW AND SUGGEST**

**Thank you all for you're awesome reviews! They mean a lot!  
>German: Für sie=for you, Bitte lassen sie mich ausreden=please let me finish, Bitte=please, mehr=more, Ich bin dein=I'm yours. (according to Google)<br>****My mind went fuzzy writing this, did yours go fuzzy reading it? Cuz...yikes...MmmHmm. Mmm. Hmm.**

**-JD**


	23. That Look

Chapter 23: That Look

"Bonni do I _have _to?" Marceline whined as the Princess combed through the masses of hair behind her. The two of them were leaving in twenty minutes and she knew that the vampire could just do whatever it was she usually does with her hair (some kind of hair magic) but then she wouldn't have the enjoyment of feeling the silky locks in her fingers. Marceline, knowing how much Bubblegum envied her hair, allowed this.

This time around, even the feeling of Marceline's hair in her fingers wasn't enough to dissuade her melancholy at what the vampire had said. _Here we go…I knew this was coming…But did it honestly have to be twenty minutes before we had to go? Couldn't this have happened when there was plenty of time for convincing and persuading and bribing? Like, I dunno, an hour ago or so? _She gulped and blushed, remembering what the two of them had actually been doing an hour ago. It was the very reason the candy princess was coming through tresses of tangles at that very moment. Unaware of the (wonderfully) filthy flashback a (not-so) modest Bubblegum was having behind her, Marceline just continued on. "I mean you know it's going to be awkward and like, super weird. Also I'm most likely just going to embarrass you in some way. I mean, you wouldn't want that now would you? And it isn't like it's a big deal or anything. I mean like, right? So not a big deal…"

Bubblegum sighed, "Marceline now you know I made a promise to Lady–"

"Right!" the vampire cut her off. "_You_ made a promise, not me. I'm free and clear!" She tried to escape from Bubblegum behind her, but a firm hand sat her right back down in her seat before she could even register she was making a break for it.

"Ah-ah-ah, Night-stalker. No escaping this. I promised we'd both go." Bubblegum chided lightly, loving the fact that Marceline's hair was so easy to play with. She wished the rest of her were so easy-going. But at the same time, she didn't. Bubblegum knew full well that trying to change the vampire into a more diplomatic lover was not only well beyond her own capacity, she would never want it. She remembered _that _experiment (all too) well. Besides, if she changed Marceline, she knew what else would change in private; and she (most definitely) did not want their (rocking, slamming, amazing, mind-blowing) private life to change _at all._

Marceline looked in the mirror behind her, eyebrow quirked in skepticism. "So it was…a _royal_ promise?"

Bubblegum floundered at that, caught up in her reverie for a moment and realizing with a heavy gulp that she had been fantasizing and was becoming very warm under her dress. _Drat her and being all…clever…and sexy, and funny, and hot, and an animal in the sack (sometimes literally) and beautiful and seductive and__–_"Uh-well-you see-um…" she sighed, shaking her head again and trying to remain focused on her conversation. _What did she ask again? Royal promise, oh yeah! _ Raising her eye to meet Marceline's in the mirror, she replied in a mumble, "No, it wasn't…"

Marceline jumped up from the chair, ecstatic about (finally) finding a viable escape route. "Perfect! Well, if you don't mind, Bonnibel, I've got things to do, people to kill, you know…vampire junk to get on with! Tell me how it goes!"

Bubblegum gasped in a breath and chased after her, grabbing a hand before Marceline could make it fully out the balcony doors. _Time to deploy my secret weapon…_ The vampire turned to look at her. "Marci…" she said lightly, a tinge of sadness and an extra dose of sugar.

"Oh no Bonnibel. Don't do it. Nuh-uh." Marceline (tried) to command. Bubblegum raised her eyebrows up and opened her eyes big. "Nope, nuh-uh Bonni, no way. Not happening" The vampire said, turning her head to look in the other direction just as Bubblegum pouted out her lower lip ever-so slightly. "Nope. Nope. No, no, no," Marceline said aloud, more to herself than to Bubblegum, and she continued to shake her head, lips pursed in determination.

But Bubblegum had been through this before. She grabbed Marceline's captured hand with both of hers and swayed it lightly to-an-fro. "Marci?" She asked "Please, Marci? For me? Won't you for me?" Bubblegum almost broke the look when she saw the vampire's head seemingly fight with itself to turn but not to turn at the same time, still muttering 'no's repeatedly. "It won't be all bad, sugar! I'll be there…"

Marceline squinted her eyes in a desperate attempt not to give in. She finally faced the candy princess head on, and was hit with the full force of the look. She made a high-pitched humming sound and was shaking her head, trying to keep her mouth pinched shut. However, Bubblegum knew Marceline was at the end of her rope. "Please?" she asked oh-so-quietly, oh-so-sweetly, and oh-so-triumphantly.

"Oh okay fine!" The vampire yelled, giving in to Bubblegum's demands.

The candy princess squealed in delight, bouncing up and down and enveloping the taller girl in a hug. "Oh thank you, thank you, _thank you_, Marceline! It really means so much to me! Now come on and sit down again so I can finish your hair." She said, walking back over to the vanity.

"Don't know why you have to you dingle…can control my hair all on my own," The disenfranchised vampire mumbled on her way back to the chair, which she slumped unceremoniously into with a huff.

Bubblegum smiled. _I do it because you secretly like it and you know I like it a lot so you let me. _She kept those thoughts to herself though, deciding not to push any of Marceline's buttons in case she decided to be a royal butt for the rest of the night if she did. She sighed in happy contentment.

"You know it isn't fair that you do that. It's like, totally cheating, that look…" Marceline complained, as was her habit after Bonnibel used what the vampire deemed 'dirty tactics.'

Bubblegum just giggled and shook her head. "Please, it isn't like you don't have a look of your own…" The vampire snapped up, her posture becoming decidedly more interested. Bubblegum realized her mistake. "Oh–I mean–what?" She coughed into a hand.

"I have a look? Tell me what it is! Tell me, tell me, tell me! It's no fair! You know what you're look is and as equals I deserve to know mine!"

Bubblegum shook her head with a smile, even though Marceline's logic was pretty sound. "Oh no, no, no. No way. Not in another thousand years, missy. I like this look and it would be cruel to use it against me in any way, shape, or form, and you have a lot of those." She giggled at her own joke.

Marceline humphed again and sunk back into the chair even further than before, making it a little difficult for Bubblegum to finish bulling her hair back. "Oh, just like it's _not _cruel to use your own look against me?"

Bubblegum hummed a little, lost in thought at the mere thought of _that_ look coming from Marceline. "It's different, sugar."

Instead of pushing it further, Marceline began to think aloud to herself. "It couldn't be my smirk, that's my default. And not my scowl, I use that too often, too. My normal smile is not quite so common, but nothing so special. You hate it when I'm skeptical of you, so that's totally out…" she made a noise of frustration. "Won't you just tell me?" She growled.

"No." Bubblegum said simply. "Now hop up, I'm all done with your hair and it's time to go." She said, walking across her room to pick up her purse.

Marceline stood up in an agitated way (if that's possible) and said, "And why again do I have to wear this monkey suit?" she snapped the red suspenders.

"Oh hush up, you're super gorgeous." Bubblegum said, straightening the (also) red bowtie before putting the finishing touch upon the vampire's head. Marceline had not agreed to wear a dress, so the princess had picked out an outfit that she thought would definitely suit Marceline's tastes. Bright red suspenders, shoes, and bowtie coupled with a fitting black button up and pants. The outfit hugged Marceline in _all_ the right ways, and the black fedora with the strip of red silk atop her head gave her an even more prominent air of seduction about her. Seeing Marceline all dressed up was a _definite_ good thing to the princess. It made her breathing pick up and her skin flush, though she hated to admit it. Marceline just looked so…_delicious_ when she had class in her dress.

Besides, she knew for a fact Marceline loved the outfit and was just complaining for the sake of complaining. The vampire sighed in defeat. "So what are we doing again?"

Bubblegum primped one last time in her mirror. "Well…not a lot we can do with you, y'know…sun and all. So a late dinner than a midnight showing." She said, not in a cruel way just in a matter-of-fact way.

The candy princess was about to walk out the door when Marceline's soft voice stopped her. "Bonni…" Marceline began, and the girl in question turned around as the vampire walked towards her. Bluish hands clasped her own, and Marceline looked deep into pink eyes. "You know that…I-I'm sorry that…that we can't do everything other couples can do and" Bubblegum gulped. _Oh no. _"… and I'm sorry I can't be who every one approves of for you." The candy princess' eyes began to glass over. _It's coming…_ "Just…I just want you to know that…" Marceline glanced down and shuffled a little. _That's the sign! Oh she's gonna look up and it'll be__–_"I'd just do anything for you, Bubblegum." Marceline said, looking up and completely cutting off any train of thought the candy princess was having.

It was the look of love. Sheer and utter adoration flooded out of Marceline and into Bonnibel. The soft smile with the sharp teeth, the shy, yet penetrating eyes the certain kindness yet strength in her voice, the whole shebang made Bubblegum go practically weak at the knees. Everything Marceline felt completely told all through one look. All the words she couldn't say, all the butterflies in her stomach, all the confused surety of love. Bubblegum teared up a bit and let out a happily choked sob. She clasped her arms fiercely around Marceline's neck and mumbled "I love you so much, Marceline." They stood like that a moment before the candy girl pulled away and composed herself. "Now let's go, and if you're good, I'll give you a _really_ nice prize when we're done, okay?" Bubblegum winked, and Marceline's signature smirk returned.

"How about _you_ be my prize, Bubblegum." She whispered into a pink ear, and laughed as Bubblegum froze up in arousal on the spot. She walked past the candy girl and to the door out to the rest of the castle. "C'mon, Bonni…Jake and Lady are waiting. Hopefully this won't be a total disaster."

* * *

><p>It was a total disaster.<p>

As the two monarchs entered the restaurant, Bubblegum could tell right away that Marceline was uncomfortable. It was stuffy, high-end and expensive. Not exactly the twenty-four hour hot dog carts (with extra ketchup) that the vampire was used to. Bubblegum walked up to the maître d' and cleared her throat. The man, a stuffy looking cinnamon twist, raised his head. "We have a party waiting?" She asked politely. Marceline shuffled nervously at the man who shot her a judgmental glare.

"Ah yes, the…special table. Right this way." He began leading them into the expanse of the restaurant, which was low lit with paper lanterns and had a definitive Italian vibe. Sets of tables and chairs were haphazardly strewn about the floor in an eclectic non-pattern, and the whole place reeked of class. "Stayed open late for you, your highness. I must say, I do admire your willingness to…_dignify_ your, ah…_friend_ a little. Very noble of you, very indeed." The man said, speaking in a veiled distaste for Marceline, though she was not a foot away from him. The vampire, who had already felt bad at her not being able to go out in the daytime earlier, simply lowered her head and kept her mouth shut in a very non-Marceline fashion.

Bubblegum's jaw clenched. "Yes, well…" she began curtly, "We can't all be dignified, can we? And if I'm not mistaken, you could probably learn a lesson or two from _her_." They had come to a stop before reaching their table. "What is your name?" she demanded.

"O-Oliver, Majesty. Oliver Twist." Replied the cinnamon man, whose pompous demeanor was being cut down by the second by a defensive and very much in love Bubblegum.

"Well, Mr. Twist, unless you want to spend a week or two in my dungeons, I suggest you remember that you are in the presence of _two_ monarchs, one of whom has more class and status than you will ever even _begin _to dream of. Not only that, but she could untwist you without batting an eyelash yet she _chose_ to have enough dignity to keep her very _respectful_ mouth shut about your blatant rudeness to royalty. I, however, do not have such class, and I suggest you make yourself _very scarce_ over the next month or two because I may just have you locked up if I ever see your face around town again. Do I make myself clear?"

The man was shaking at his ends. "Yes majesty, deepest apologies, yes. So sorry." He bowed to them over and over again. He scurried much more quickly the rest of the way to the table and gave a low bow. "You're party, Highnesses." And practically vanished for getting out of there so quickly.

Jake and Lady sat at the table and gave broad smiles. "Hey guys, jut give us like, one sec, okay?" Marceline said, and pulled Bubblegum to the side a bit. "You didn't have to do that, Bonni. I mean, I'm sorry I'm embarrassing but you really didn't have to embarrass yourself further for my sake."

Bubblegum was astonished. "Marci..." she began earnestly, "You are not embarrassing. And what's more, that guy was being a real Bleeblob, so he deserved every word. And I very well still might throw him in the dungeons! I mean, who does he think he is? He's just a _lumping_ cinnamon twist working at a _prissy_ restaurant in _my_ kingdom and he thinks he can just insult _my_ girlfriend? No way! I should have him untwisted myself that…that…_jackass_!" Bubblegum whisper-yelled.

Marceline pulled her in for a hug and breathed, "I love you, Bonni. So, so much." Into the waiting ear. As she pulled away, she said, "Now let's eat!"

They walked back to a waiting Lady and Jake and took their opposite seats, Bubblegum across from Lady and Jake across from Marceline. "Sorry about that, guys." Marceline said kindly, determined for the rest of the evening not to suck.

"Hey Marceline, what had that guy calling you 'your highness' and junk? Never hear _that _before!" Jake said teasingly.

Marceline laughed and glanced towards Bubblegum, who had turned a deep red in mild fright. She wasn't one to threaten willy-nilly like the vampire, so Marceline spared her. "Oh, nothing…just told him I was hungry is all…" And she hissed her tongue out at Jake who shrunk back into his chair as far as he could.

Princess Bubblegum scowled a little, doing her best to conceal a smile. "You said you'd be on your best behavior, tonight, Marci."

The vampire raised her hands in defense. "What? I totally am! I could have gone invisible and snuck up right behind him and licked his veins…but I didn't!" she said playfully.

"You can do that?" Jake eeped, and Lady Rainicorn nuzzled him a little.

"**Marceline, if you would be so kind as to stop playfully frightening my boyfriend I would be most pleased. He cannot get over his fear of vampires if you keep saying you will eat him.**" She said (in Korean) with a smirk on her face. In all honesty, she though Jake's fear of Marceline unfounded, as anyone could tell she was nothing but a cream puff…especially around Bubblegum.

Marceline laughed. "Of course, Lady. Anything you wish. I will do my very best not to mention how much I enjoy dog blood this evening." And she bellowed a great laugh while Jake whimpered and shrunk a little and the other two women did their best to suppress bouts of laughter themselves. Bubblegum slapped her lightly on the arm. "Anyway, what's to eat here? They never gave us a menu."

"Oh! Well its kind-of a different restaurant, you see." Bubblegum began to explain.

"Oh yeah!" Jake said, cautiously resuming his full size, spurred on by the talk of delicious food to come. "This place has like, the most badical Italian ever!" He fist pumped the air.

Lady smiled at his antics. "**Yes. They make a new dish every day and give it to you without you knowing what it is. And no one can tell you because they have a spell on the exit. So it really is a mystery. They give you appetizer, entrée, drink, and dessert.**"

Marceline nodded, clearly impressed with the tenacity of the concept. "Seems pretty brave, if you ask me. What if someone has allergies or some junk? I mean, they could've had a reservation for glob-knows how long and bam! The one day they serve peanuts…y'know?"

Suddenly, a realization struck Bubblegum. "Oh butts, Marceline! What if nothing is red for you to eat?"

All three of them looked at the vampire, who seemed to have just realized the same thing herself. After a moment's hesitation, she put on a smile and said, "Don't worry, Bubblegum. It'll be okay! I can eat normal food y'know." Bubblegum looked at her in earnest, knowing that she could taste the food, but it wouldn't curb her hunger. Still, she decided to drop it, after Marceline beamed a huge, loving, reassuring smile her way.

Just then, the appetizers appeared. It was a Caesar salad with bleu cheese and parmesan. No red, not even those little cherry tomatoes. This in the long run was maybe a good thing, considering tomatoes gave Marceline weird dreams. The drink was some sort of light berry cocktail mix, and was definitely a deep blue color. Still, Marceline partook whole heartedly, while Bubblegum scowled in concern. _Maybe this was a bad idea…_

"So, Jake, how's Finn? Haven't seen that little booger in a while. What's he doing?" Marceline asked.

The dog stopped shoving the mysteriously delicious salad in his mouth and decided to (thankfully) chew and swallow before answering. While he was doing that, Lady decided to chime in with a small lesson in table manners. "**You know, my love, you should really only take one bite at a time, chew it, swallow it, and move repeat. That is how conversation is held over dinner.**" She smirked a little as he swallowed.

"Alright, my Lady. Anything for you." He beamed at her. "Anyway, Finn is off with FP I think…not sure. Might be on a late-night adventure, but FP is more likely. They haven't been able to keep away from each other."

Bubblegum looked at him curiously. "Flame Princess? But…doesn't she like…burn him?"

Jake lit up, and it was evident that an adventure had taken place to solve that issue. "Oh man, no! We looked it up in the Enchiridion and found that there was like this, super rad anti-fire gem thingy that you could carry to shield you from all fire creatures. Finn was totally hung up on FP, like, even more than he was on you, Bubblegum, so we go off to find it right? Turns out, it was like, in some sort of lava volcano cave!" Appetizers finished, their plates were taken away as they awaited their main course.

"So we have to practically roast our beans to get to the center of this thing, right? And when we get there, there's this totally massive demon phoenix thing that was all like, 'You shall not take my gem!' or something like that!" Jake, fully engulfed in the story, waved his arms around like the bird and shifted into lava and this that and the next thing as he went on. Bubblegum sat in rapt attention, Lady in soft adoration, and Marceline in disbelieving humor at the things that normal human did with his fragile life.

"So Finn pulls out his flame sword, y'know? And is like 'Crrrrsssh, ka-pow, blam, blam! I'm totally gonna rip your guts out, bird man!' and is swinging his sword this way and that. I can't do much 'cause the bird was on fire and all and I didn't want to get burned so I was cheering him on. Anyway the sword didn't do much good due to the fact that it was fire and the phoenix, whose name was Wright, by the way, was fire. So when the sword got knocked aside, I was all 'bail time, bro!' but Finn wouldn't hear it, right? He was like, 'Nooooo!' and jumped right up there and snatched some flaming bird. He started to cry and the tears put Wright out of capacity and he fell unconscious back into the lava river."

Marceline shook her head, astonished the boy wasn't dead yet. Lady, who apparently had already heard the story, giggled at her boyfriend's enthusiasm, while Bubblegum 'ooo-ed' and 'aaah-ed' and gasped at all the appropriate times. "So he runs up and snags the gem which is like a multi-layered red thing that's like, the essence of fire or some junk and stuffs it in his pocket. When we go back home and he's all healed, he runs off to FP. Never seen him happier than when he came back home that day." Bubblegum clapped at the end of the story as their main course was brought out.

Thankful for Bubblegum's rapture, Marceline sighed a moment at the very not-red, stuffed chicken parmesan. They all began to eat and is pleased the vampire that Bubblegum wasn't getting caught up on the food that would not fill Marceline. Granted it was delicious, very much so, but the gnawing hunger in Marceline's stomach most definitely remained. Conversation lulled over the course as everyone was so involved in the deliciousness of the meal. When they finished, and their plates were taken away, it started up again.

"Aw man…that was like, the best thing I've ever eaten!" Jake exclaimed.

"**Most satisfactory. It seems that have left just enough room for dessert. Very impressive, how they do that. Much like an equation of some sort.**"

Bubblegum smiled at that before turning to Marceline. "What did you think, Marci?" She asked, obviously overjoyed.

The vampire had no choice but to smile a huge smile back. There was something decidedly infectious about Bubblegum's happiness. "It was delicious." She said definitively. Of course, Marceline was secretly praying for chocolate-covered strawberries or cranberry tart or some such for dessert. She felt like she was going to pass out from hunger. Yet, as the final dish arrived, it was plain, simple, vanilla ice cream with hot fudge. She stared at it a moment, fighting the urge to cry or punch something or transform into a wolfy-thing and rip the place apart. It was as if they had designed the meal to specifically not sustain her, and she honestly would not have been surprised if they had. Still, she calmly picked up the spoon and began eating the more than delicious but less than satisfying ice cream.

Jake, upon Lady's demand, had not shoved it all into his mouth at once and was actually eating with a spoon, much to everyone's approval.

"**So my lady, any experiments going on? Nothing to alchemic I hope.**" Lady asked, and they all laughed, knowing Bubblegum's alchemy to cause a certain amount of chaos when used.

Bubblegum had laughed along with them. "Oh no, Lady, no alchemy for me. I...um…I'm actually more interested in how candy people are born right now. A fascinating bit of genetics and mutation but…I just can't help but wonder if candy people can cross-breed. It is decidedly a candy person way of reproducing but it is just so curious…" She mused. Marceline froze at the mention of kids.

Of course, Lady had the sense to leave it, but not Jake. "Thinking of children, Peebles? With Marceline, here?" He smirked, glancing between the two.

The table went silent for a moment. "Excuse me." Marceline said quickly, and made her way to the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face. Sure she was a thousand years old and sure she was in love and sure she wanted a family but…demons make kids differently and…well she didn't know if she and Bonni could ever actually have a kid _together_. It wasn't like they had talked about it or anything. And she had brought it up in front of Lady and blabber-mouth Jake. I made her head hurt and her insides churn in a way that was not related to hunger.

Just then, a waitress walked in. She glanced briefly at Marceline and asked, "Enjoying the meal?" Before washing her hands and leaving.

Marceline's suspicions about the excruciatingly not-red meal were confirmed. She hated that she was a vampire. She hated that she was on a lumping double-date with a dog that feared her. She hated that they were in a fancy restaurant where she kept the best manners she could. She hated that is made her uncomfortable. She hated that people just seemed to disapprove of her. And he hated, all the more and all over again, that she was a vampire. For a moment, she wanted to turn full demon form and rip the whole building right from the ground and throw it into the ocean leaving a hole where it should have been. Instead, she sighed in anger and sadness and all the bad feelings in one and just stood in front of the mirror, staring at those two stupid scars that she got over a thousand years ago and wishing she had just let Hunson Abadeer kill her that day during the Mushroom Wars.

The door swung open. "Hey Marci we're gonna see the movie now and–" The vampire hadn't looked up and Bubblegum had taken in her painfully said posture. "What's wrong?" She took a step towards her girlfriend, always cautious around her when she was in emotional distress. Transformations were common and she didn't want to be startled. "Sugar? Marci, what happened?"

Without looking up, Marceline said, "Remember all those years ago when you said you made the cure for Vampirism? Do you still wish sometimes that I'd take it?"

Her voice was broken, small, and so very much not like Marceline that Bubblegum was afraid. "What? Marci, no. No that was stupid of me in the first place. You know how I get with science, I don't think about anything else. It was so lumping horribly stupid of me. No." She said, eyes furrowed with sadness and concern.

"I wish sometimes I would have taken it." Marceline whispered into the small space.

Bubblegum let out a shocked breath. "Wh-what?"

Marceline still hadn't moved "I'd walk on the beach with you and swim and take you to street fairs and to lunches and breakfasts and shopping and picnics and so many things. So many things. And no one would stare or judge or hate me for no reason or think me an animal or specifically design dinners not to sustain me because normal foods would sustain me and we'd be so happy…so, _so_ happy for all those seventy years I'd live. And then I'd die like a normal thing. And…and it would be so wonderful."

Bubblegum didn't have to be able to see Marceline's face to know she was crying. She bridged the gap between them and held the vampire as close as she could while tears stained her dress. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry for what I am…" Marceline mumbled over and over through tears.

"No, sugar…sweetness…honey…_I'm_ sorry for those stupid people. And we have the beach and the ocean and all those things that are even more beautiful at night with a million million stars to join us. And even more wonderful because I'm with you exactly as you are and no one else is around to see the wonder that is night time. You are all the things I love Marci, and I am so, so happy with you. I can't imagine being more happy than I am with you. And I'll try even harder to make sure that every day you are the happiest being on the planet, just the way you are. I love you. I love you so much. So much I can't even begin to say, and the word 'love' doesn't even begin to describe it." During Bubblegum's speech, Marceline's tears had slowed and at the end she hiccoughed away her last sob.

The look of love now coupled with slight sadness made Bubblegum give a small hopeful smile. That look could bring her to her knees any day. "You always know just what to say. I love you Bonni. More than never ending life." And Marceline was so confident and so sure and so true in her words that Bubblegum hiccoughed her own couple of sobs before giving her a happy, overjoyed, loving, sad, everything kiss. It started slow and loving, but a small fire burned underneath and soon tongues were dueling and gasps of air were being exchanged while hands explored in desperation for any skin or curve, Jake and Lady all but forgotten until the latter walked into the bathroom.

They broke apart suddenly at the intrusion, minds reeling and fuzzy and gasps of air being gulped in by Bubble. Lady just stared. The candy princess darted her eyes over to Marceline and said, "I think we'll be skipping the movie, Lady. We had a wonderful time."

Lady smirked, and said, "**I'm sure you will soon,**" Before leaving the two. But Bubblegum didn't have ears to be embarrassed because Marceline was giving her that look that screamed 'you are going to be pleasured until you don't know what's up and what's down' and that, coupled with the outfit, was enough to rob the princess of all coherent though.

Marceline walked up to her and whispered seductively, "Well, you're pink, I'm hungry, and the night doesn't have to be a _complete_ disaster, does it, Bubblegum?"

And it definitely (orgasmically, rockingly, amazingly, mind-blowingly, gaspingly, pantingly wonderfully, fulfillingly, satisfyingly beyond measure) wasn't, even if it started out that way.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Good. Glob. Extra long chapter F.T.W. So...this actually encompasses a couple suggestions. _AlexandraAuditore_ wanted the double date, and _Slayer_ wanted Finn to have a new love interest (and since I'm only writing from PB or Marci's perspective, this worked out well.) Yeah it was a little sad, but it had it's moments! Bonus points to those of you who caught the puns. I think there were four or five. TeeHee**

**I LOVE YOUR REVIEWS! PLEASE SUGGEST!**

**As for the 'experiment' mentioned, yes, that will be a chapter. Maybe the next one, I dunno, I might just leave you hanging! Haha. Anyway this story has a Tumblr now so you can follow and like and reblog or whatever it is you do on tumblr that isn't posting. (Can you tell I'm new to the site?) Lastly, sorry for the long delay, folks! Hope I didn't dissappoint! I'll try to be better! Hope you enjoyed. Here's the Tumblr: sugarless-gums-perfect-disease [DOT] tumblr [DOT] com**

**-JD**


	24. Sunbathing

Chapter 24: Sunbathing

It was quite a drab day when Princess Bubblegum decided to visit Finn and Jake. The sky was a depressing grey, threatening to release its depression and burst with rain at any moment. Yet, the princess was willing to risk ruining a dress in the poor weather to see the two. _Honestly I don't even know why…it isn't like I need to. I could do sciencey things and experiment on the nature of dark matter. _Still, the candy princess grabbed most determinedly at her parasol (umbrellas are not for ladies such as she) and strode with a curious drive from her room.

Marceline and their together-not-togetherness had been more than tiring. Though, coax as she might, Bubblegum couldn't get a word of (meaningful) emotion from the immortal. And more so lately, she had even been uncharacteristically wishy-washy when it came to their little midnight trysts. The Candy Princess was starved for affection when it came to her chosen partner, and it had most decidedly drained her. So when she stepped out of her candy palace to begin the not-too-brief journey to Finn's (Marceline's old) tree house, the optimism and emotional strength that accompanies her is entirely unfamiliar.

The rain began to fall, and as Bubblegum made her way in a sunny, leisurely stroll, a small smile formed of its own volition upon her lips. _Today is going to be a good day. I can feel it right down in my heart guts. _ And as she went on, passing this shop and that, a huddled hard candy here, a soaked ice cream man there, her mind (as per usual) drifted to Marceline. (It used to be that her mind drifted to science.) _I wonder where she has been these past days…surely not the Night-O-Sphere, she'd have told me. _A dreamy sigh escaped her. _Marceline…grod what have you done to me…I used to be so logical, so practical; yet here I am picking up scraps of your oh-so-wonderful affections like a beggar. I'm a princess, Marci! I shouldn't have to…you shouldn't be… Do you still think of me as yours?_

She passed a man selling strawberries and couldn't help but buy them. _I'm hungry, that's all. It isn't because they reminded me of Marceline, or anything like that…_ Even in her own mind, Bubblegum was a terrible liar. She reached the edge of the town and began walking across wet grassy hills towards the lone tree in the distance. Marceline's tree, no matter who lived there. The bottom seam of her dress began to muddy, and Bubblegum smirked to herself. _What would Marci say…oh something lumping hot and such like 'oh Bonni, your dress is ruined! Best get you out of it then, huh?' And then she'd do that smirk and that 'I'm going to sexually devour you' look and it would be amazing and her tongue would slick it's way over me and__–_ The princess realized she had (again) been thinking inappropriate thoughts about her vampire, something that was becoming a nasty habit. _Nasty indeed…oh glob it!_

She forced herself from her reverie and noticed that off in the distance, on a grassy hill a ways away from the tree (which she was beginning to wonder if it was her destination at all) there was a splotch. She stared at it a moment through the heavy rain. _Perhaps this is why I felt compelled to go out today. It could be a new mineral or animal or something! _Heck, if the universe was telling her to go to the bleary splotch in the rain, who was she to deny it? It made no logical sense, but spontaneity and (good-glob…) faith, were valuable as well. Marceline had taught her about going with feeling every now-and-again, and it had most definitely payed off.

As she neared the splotch, it was clear that she recognized it. Mind drawing a blank (for once) she walked right up to it and stared down. There she was, Marceline the Vampire Queen, clad in naught but a black bikini and sunglasses, lying on the muddy grass in the middle of a downpour, a look of satisfaction adorning her face. Her hands were placed under her head in a lounge position, and one leg was propped up while the other laid flat on the ground. Bubblegum stared as the harsh thumping of rain against her parasol permeated the air, a sound different from the softness of rain upon the grass or (seductively) rain upon Marceline.

Bubblegum furrowed her brow in confusion at her thought of the word 'seductively' to describe the torrent of rain upon her lover, yet somehow it was. Beading and collecting and dripping over taut muscles and smooth skin, there was something definitely inviting about rain upon the vampire. Bubblegum traced her over with her eyes, watching the water trail here and there over flawless skin, and found herself imagining licking it all off.

Just as her mouth started to water with the thought of what she would do to such a scantily-clad Marceline, the vampire said, "What are you doing out here, Princess? You'll catch your death."

Bubblegum resumed her ogling of Marceline in the rain. "I caught you, didn't I?" she murmured, hoping the vampire wouldn't hear as she roamed freely over the contours of her lover.

Marceline had heard, and smirked. Caught death, indeed. A moment passed before the vampire spoke again. "Bonni, didn't they teach you in manner school or whatever that it's impolite to stare?"

The candy princess shook her head from the day dream and pulled her focus away from the grey body and to Marceline's face. It held a concealed smirk, though it didn't appear the vampire had moved at all. "It's actually called 'finishing school,' and I didn't go to one. I had private tutors."

Marceline laughed; stretching her arms out from under her and arching her back in a look of sheer delight that made the candy princess blush. Marceline caught this and smirked, pulling the sunglasses onto her forehead and looking straight at Bonni saying, "Oh…so then you didn't finish?" She smiled toothily and ran her tongue over sharp teeth, the words holding an entirely different meaning.

Bubblegum gulped, her grip on the parasol tightening to white-knuckled intensity. "What? F-F-Finish? I-I-I mean–th-that is I–f-finishing school–a-a-and private tutors– I-I-I…um…I got finished!" she managed, trying to ignore the seduction oozing out of Marceline and steaming the rain as it hit her skin.

"Oh really, Bonnibel?" Marceline purred, propping herself up onto her elbows, "And who exactly…_finished_ you?"And she quirked an eyebrow.

Bubblegum squirmed. "What? Finished me? W-well…u-uh…that is to say, it–like you're saying is–manners were, um–but it wasn't like that! I-I had great finishing teachers!" she tried, not realizing how terrible everything she was saying sounded. But then, the vampire did have a way of taking the normally eloquent princess down a few (a million) pegs, leaving her nothing but a stammering, stuttering lump of hormones and desire.

"I'm sure you did have good finishing teachers…" Marceline continued, relishing in the wound-up haze that surrounded the princess, "What did they teach you?"

Bubblegum was breathing heavily through her mouth, and her dress suddenly felt all-too tight. Marceline lay back down and began running her hands all over her body, leaving the princess all the more speechless to say the least. "Uh-um…u-u-uh…etiquette and-and…proper…d-d-d-decorum and royal…royal…bodies and…uh-um…rain and…wet…passion for…delegates…" She trailed of blankly as Marceline sighed at her own hand, squirming on the ground beneath the candy princess.

Her dress was incredibly too tight, and she was having trouble swallowing.

Marceline stopped her motions and looked up at the girl with faux-curiosity. "Something the matter, Bonnibel?"

Engage word vomit._ Projectile_ word vomit.

"I love you." Bubblegum spouted, thoughts escaping from her mind rapid fire without a seconds hesitation. "I love you and I know it's a weird time to say it when you're on the ground writhing and trying and succeeding in seducing me but I love you. You are rain and clouds. Moonlight and shadows and o-o-old books that you can feel and taste the time on. The kind of books that store memories in their pages. You're body is electricity and candlelight all in one go." She knelt down next to the vampire, who donned a confused and shocked look. "You are everything in this world that I love. Clever and witty and…sexy and seductive and oh– so beautiful it's other worldly! You're the sound of pencil on paper and the chill of the night air and just _everything_, Marceline, _everything_!" Tears began to mix with rain as the girl got more and more exasperated, her free hand flailing about and pounding the ground in indignation and emphasis.

"You are what I desire. The only thing I desire. How could anyone ask for anything more in a friend or a lover? How? And you just–you just…I know I messed up. I messed up so lumping bad and it hurts me because I had you and threw it away. I hate me. And I pick up you're bits of affection like they are the most valuable thing in the universe because they are! I know you don't want to talk about feelings but this in-between place is killing me because I am not in-between at all! I love you. With every fiber of every atom in my being and I know you won't talk to me about feelings but I'm going to talk to you about mine because _grod_ I am just so tired of not telling you because you are like dark chocolate and strawberries and fairy tales and–"

It took a moment to register wet lips upon hers. It took another moment to register that Marceline's lips were salty from tears. It took a third moment before she was kissing tearily back, rain soaking her dress and skin through to her very soul, parasol all but forgotten as her hands freely framed Marceline's face without thought, pulling the two closer into each other and into the kiss.. It was passion and age and knowledge and, if hope would be her master, love.

Marceline pulled away, and placed her forehead against Bubblegum's shoulder as the candy princess mirrored her.

Rain fell.

Marceline lifted her head slightly and began to speak.

"I sing the body electric;  
>The armies of those I love engirth me, and I engirth them;<br>They will not let me off till I go with them, respond to them,  
>And discorrupt them, and charge them full with the charge of the soul."<p>

Bubblegum pulled away to look at Marceline, who continued to recite.

"Was it doubted that those who corrupt their own bodies conceal themselves;  
>And if those who defile the living are as bad as they who defile the dead?<br>And if the body does not do as much as the soul?  
>And if the body were not the soul, what is the soul?"<p>

Marceline's eyes bored deep into Bubblegum's, a quiet fire burning underneath as the two kneeled in front of each other as equals. It was all too clear to the candy princess that Marceline had expressed her feelings, her regret, and, most importantly, her love. Bubblegum hiccoughed a smile. "That was beautiful Marceline." She whispered through the rain.

The vampire lay back down and resumed her original position of lounging. "It was like, whatever, you know?" she said, resuming her usual demeanor, though with a happier tone and attitude. Bubblegum picked up her parasol and remained kneeling, the thing doing no good now as she was soaked through, though warmer than she had felt in decades. Marceline glanced over. "That lumping thing would do you like, no good in a storm and no good now. Why don't you get a real umbrella?" She joked, the air seeming full light.

Bubblegum couldn't stop the love-sick, dreamy smile on her face. "Ladies use parasols." She sighed. "You will tell me what that was, won't you Marci?"

"Yeah well, people who want to stay dry use umbrellas. And…it was from one of the first books I had read. I salvaged it from the Mushroom Wars. It…felt appropriate…" The vampire mumbled, trying her best to play it off.

Bubblegum smiled a knowing smile at the girl. "Appropriate to say the least. It was wonderful. …And…Marci?"

"Yeah, Bonni?"

"Are…are we like…together now?" Bubblegum asked timidly, all-too afraid of the answer. _It sure feels like we're together. But what if we're not? What if I understood wrong? Oh and that poem…could anyone recite poetry better? I must have her read to me sometime and__–_

"Yeah Bonni. I think we are."

Bubblegum threw the parasol into the slight wind and it floated off as she attacked Marceline with a fierce hug. The vampire returned it eagerly, laughing at her girlfriend's antics. "Marci I'm so happy! So, so, so happy! I love you and nothing is ever going to change that again! Glob, nothing changed it in the first place! Thank you, Marceline. Thank you. I…I love you…so much." Bubblegum proclaimed.

Marceline, timid about feelings as ever, simply said, "I'm happy too Bonni. And I'm sorry."

Bubblegum planted her hands on either side of the vampire's face and pushed herself up, hair falling and dripping around the grey face, a huge, unbeatable smile adorning her own face. "I have one more question…what were you doing out here in a bikini and sunglasses in the rain?"

Marceline wrapped her arms around Bubblegum's waist in a comfortable show of affection, scraps long since forgotten and full meals being served. "Isn't it obvious, Bonni? I'm sunbathing."

Bubblegum laughed in confusion. "Sunbathing? But…there isn't a ray of sunshine in the sky!"

Marceline smirked. "Exactly." And kissed Bubblegum again like her life depended on it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**I don't know...don't ask. Haha. Sorry for the long wait, inspiration is a finicky thing, but I think (hopefully, inspiration-willing, crossed fingers) I'll be getting back in the swing of things! This comes from a few people, and I have a few questions to answer! _Specialagentoso_ and_ Amelia Sprightly _wanted "Shut up and kiss me" and "butterfly inducing" fluffyness and I know somewhere someone wanted to know how they got back together (sorry, I lost you're name!) so viola! And yes. Sunbathing in the rain. Don't ask where that came from...no clue, but I like it! **

**PLEASE REVIEW AND SUGGEST!**

**Okay, question answering time! Yes, they will have the baby talk. Yes, I will deal with the aging. Yes, I will go into why why Bubblegum was 13 again she was all over Finn. Yes, I was making a subtle reference to 'Tower, Tower'. ****They have genitalia because they are humanoid mutations, for gender distinction, and (the best part) for sheer pleasure. Marcie's body is 18(ish) because that's what it is in cannon. To my 31 (!) Tumblr follower, you guys rule!  
>ALSO! 100 Reviews guys! AAAHHH! <em>Amelia Sprightly <em>you get bonus points and if you suggest for this chapter, I WILL write your suggestion for being my 100th review and have it up the next day. Thank you for all the WONDERFUL, AMAZING, THOUGHTFUL reviews you guys. For. Real. Rip my heart guts out why don't ya? Make me cry...(not really, but still) Long author's note is long...but I'm out for now! Thanks again and sorry again!  
><strong>

**-JD**

**p.s.**

**The poem is the first two verses of "I Sing the Body Electric" by Walt Whitman. Love the poem, thought it felt right.**


	25. Walls Have Faces

Chapter 25: Walls Have Faces

The wall was flat, pale pink, and had no pictures or anything on it. They had to relocate a bookcase and shift the bed over to get it just so. It was clean and fresh and pristine and stood there happily, bathing in its supreme Bubblegum-ness. You could almost see the smile on its all-knowing face; after all, a lot of things had happened in that room that it was sure to have seen. Yet, it kept a somber and peaceable silence on the topic, staying strong and silent, like any good wall should.

Marceline wanted to punch it right in its face; because yes, walls have faces. She could see it laughing at her. It was there when Bubblegum kicked her out, and it knew all too well what it held on the other side. The vampire could hear it taunting and jeering. It knew what was coming, just like Marceline herself did. And though the Queen had masterfully evaded it for years, Bubblegum had been more than persistent this time around and she had caved, much to her despair.

"Marceline, why are you glaring at my wall like you want to kill it?" Bubblegum said.

Not breaking the staring contest with the portal to her doom, Marceline simply said, "It's laughing at me."

Bubblegum stared for a moment, blinking her mind clear and trying to understand the girl beside her. She had been waiting patiently for Marceline, hoping in time that she would go about it without much force. Clearly, she had had no idea what the Vampire was actually thinking. "Laughing at you?" she asked, all too perplexed. "It can't…it's a wall." Bubblegum stared at the blankness of it.

Marceline sighed at the literal interpretation and decided to let it go. She felt like vomiting. Up-chucking all over that stupid wall face. _That would teach it a lesson…_She let out a breath and slumped her shoulders. _If we do this…she'll leave me again. I know she will. She's going to leave me and there will be no reconciling. That will be it. It __**will**__ be it. If we do this…it's over._ She felt like she could cry, as her lungs tightened and panic set in. "Do we have to?" She asked meagerly, begging in silence for it not to be true, for this whole situation to be some whacked-out tomato-induced nightmare. She clutched at her chest, the squeezing sensation causing panic.

Bubblegum looked at her softly, and decided not to say anything. Marceline knew the answer. The Vampire gulped, and wrung her hands. "Right…right…" she paused again. Minutes passed. _She wants this. It will be okay. No…no it won't be okay because she doesn't know what she's getting herself into. She doesn't know anything about this. Oh grod and we're going to get there and she's just going to flip the lump out and be all terrified and junk. Glob! Glob, glob, glob! But she wants this. And I agreed. I did. So I have to. Even if…even if the reason I'm still here now at all is the reason she'll leave me. C'mon, Marceline…just…just do it!_ She raised her hand.

"Okay a couple things first!" she spewed, turning frantically to Bubblegum, silently praying for a reprieve and stalling for as long as she could. "It's like, different there right? So try to ignore the blood clouds and the screams of agony and the smell of burning flesh, okay? And as for the flames, just…pretend they don't exist. And the craggy, 'I'm going to stab your face off' cliffs those are just…scenery and of no importance. Try to stay away from the windows when you're not with me or Dad and as for him don't accept anything he gives you and he'll probably do the demon-face thing and scare you and the soul-sucking thing is bad but I asked him not to which means he probably will and he has very dark humor and when he takes you out to the balcony do not look down and–"

"Marceline." Bubblegum cut off quietly, rescuing the drowning girl. She looked at her with reassurance.

A sob wracked the vampire's body. "You don't understand, Bonnibel. This is…this is why you left me. We don't have to go! I could just ring my dad and be like 'Oh hey pop, Bubblegum's sick, you know them mortals and their illnesses…' and he wouldn't care! No one would care! If we do this you-you're going to leave me again…" She said quietly, and went back to staring at that lumping wall.

Bubblegum hugged her and it went unreciprocated. Still, she didn't let go. "I am never going to leave you again Marceline, no matter where you come from. I swear on my Kingdom."

Marceline conceded defeat. "It did take a lot of work to get the 'You cannot leave the Night-O-Sphere' thing waved. I made sure of that the nine-hundred years ago I put it into effect. Took like…two weeks of paperwork and four calls to the Cosmic Owl. He wasn't happy…thought I was going to pull some soul-eating monster into the world. He lightened up when he heard I was taking _you_ in and out. Grod sometimes I hate that dude…thinks he's all cool because he runs the Dead Worlds…" She rambled again, her mood lightening a little. _Maybe it will be okay after all…_

Bubblegum giggled. "You talk to the Cosmic Owl? That's…really impressive. And thank you, Marci…for doing this for me. I just…I don't know, it feels important to meet your father for some reason. I won't leave…no matter what." Bubblegum smiled up at her vampire who nodded in determination.

"All right, Bonnibel, let's do this." She raised her hand to the blank wall, fingers curled in on each other. A deep breath, and she opened her fingers.

The wall split open angrily, flames and heat and red, so much red, filtered into the room. Marceline stepped halfway through the portal and offered her hand to Bubblegum. As the candy princess stepped through, Marceline made a sarcastic grand gesture and said, "Welcome to the Night-O-Sphere." The portal closed behind them.

Bubblegum took it in. The demons outside the window, cries of pain and suffering, blood clouds, flames, red cliffs stained in fluids from glob-knows what, and the craggily appearance of the well-kept but sparse home. She gulped, knowing full well how out of her element she was.

"Marceline? Is that you?" A voice called from the next room.

"Remember; don't accept any object he gives you." She whispered hurriedly to Bubblegum, who gave an almost imperceptible quiver of fear. The vampire grabbed her hand for support. "Yeah dad, it's us!" She called back to her father. "You okay?" she asked, bubblegum could only nod. "Alright, the living room is through here." she said, and the two of them walked through the archway. _Oh man she is so not made for this. Oh man this was such a bad idea. Why in the name of Ooo did I ever agree to this? Glob. Glob. Fuck!_

Bubblegum had to admit, Marceline's father was nothing like she was expecting. She thought of some horrific demon creature who shlucked about in blood all day and ate faces. In truth, he was a well kept, humanoid-looking creature who seemed all-business. "Well, aren't you going to introduce us, Marceline, sweetie?" He asked.

"Grod dad…" she mumbled at the term of endearment. "Dad, this is Princess Bubblegum; Bubblegum, my dad, Hunson Abadeer." She said, making gestures from one to the other sheepishly and expecting the worst. _Oh here it comes…oh he's going to suck her soul. _

"H-hello, your highness." Bubblegum squeaked, and bowed to the man.

Hunson laughed his slick laugh. (It reminded Bubblegum of Marceline.) "Is she serious?" He asked to no one, and laughed again. "Look sugar cube, you can call me Mr. Abadeer…if you live long enough for words!" And sure enough (just as Marceline had expected)," He unhinged his jaw slightly and began sucking a very sweet soul from a very sweet girl.

The feeling was excruciatingly unpleasant. Like being torn in two from the inside. It lasted only a moment before Marceline stepped in and shoved the man a little. "Damn it dad, I asked you not to do that! You're so lumping embarrassing! This is why I didn't want to bring her here; you totally suck when you meet mortals!" She screamed, floating facing at him and hair whipping around. _Grod, he's such an ass hole sometimes!_

"Now Marceline, is that any way to treat your father? I was just having a bit of fun with the mortal…" He said reprimandingly.

Bubblegum remained still, trying to catch her breath after the sensation of having a soul sucked. "Dad she's my girlfriend! You know that! And just because she's mortal, doesn't mean you can treat her like a second class being! Grod!"

The princess finally retrieved her breath from wherever it had run off to and decided to sit on the uncomfortable couch as the two relations argued.

Hunson laughed, making his way slightly towards Bubblegum only to be blocked by his daughter. "Come, now, Marceline, learn to take a joke." For her part the vampire princess only huffed, crossing her arms. _Joke…yeah tell that to my frightened girlfriend. Oh ha, ha, real funny, here let me just suck your soul…_ He crossed the room to the couch. "Princess, would you like to see the view?"

Bubblegum had been taught to be polite in others' homes and he had been very gentlemanly with the request. "Of course, Mr. Abadeer." She responded cordially. He walked her out to the balcony where the princess got her first full look at the Night-O-Sphere. There were beings standing in long lines and eating one another and shooting beams at one another and whose insides you could see and the whole place was surrounded in flames and red. Worm-like things and humanoid things and things that had no description whatsoever flew and squirmed and walked about, tearing down buildings and crushing things or being crushed. Bubblegum decided to heed Marceline's advice on not looking down. Mr. Abadeer sighed out, obviously full of pride.

"Yes my dear, finest view in all the Night-O-Sphere. Naturally of course as I'm its ruler." Bubblegum was pale. So pale she swore she verged on white. "Well, that's enough of that, back inside, then!" He said cheerily.

Wide-eyed and shocked, the candy princess made her way back to the couch where Marceline sat waiting for her, glowering lightly at her father. She took a seat next to Marceline and Hunson took a chair. "Dad, look what you did to her…" Marceline shot out quietly before putting an arm around her girlfriend.

"What? Those other two didn't seem to have a problem with it…"

Marceline scoffed. "One, Finn and Jake are adventurers who have seen loads of stuff and two, yeah they did. You were just too preoccupied to notice." She rubbed lightly on Bubblegum's back and cooed into her ear. _Good glob she's never going to survive this meeting. _

Mr. Abadeer decided to let it go. "So, Princess, you're my Marceline's new girlfriend, eh? I must say when I heard it was a princess _and _a mortal I was a bit surprised. My little monster doesn't have a penchant for mortals so much, and she almost always steers clear of royalty, isn't that right, Marceline?" He said, casting her a glance.

Bubblegum blinked, finally snapping out of whatever horrific trance she was in. "What? Oh yes well…what can I say?" she laughed nervously. There was no denying that Hunson Abadeer was off-putting. There was just something inherently evil about the man.

He continued. "I'm just glad she's over that last one of hers."

Marceline's eyes went wide. "Dad–" She said, trying to cut him off, but he rambled on.

"You should have seen her. She was in such a state. Stayed right there on the couch for a whole year, crying her eyes out every day."

"_Dad__–_"

"It was really quite depressing. After all, this one is only one thousand years old; she doesn't know anything yet, really. All that over some boy or girl? Ridiculous!"

"_**Dad!**_" Marceline yelled, finally succeeding in retrieving his attention. He looked at her expectantly. "Um…this…I mean…Bubblegum _was_ the last one."

Hunson looked between the two of them several times, before standing up, bending his body, and rearing back, full demon form and blood and guts spewing from his mouth as he roared at the pink girl.

"Dad, knock it off!" Marceline yelled, as Bubblegum cowered behind her.

He shifted back. "I'm just trying to protect you, Marceline. Do you think it's wise to get back together with her? What else are fathers supposed to do?"

Marceline grasped at the air for the right words. "I don't know, dad, but they aren't supposed to scare significant others onto the brink of catatonia! Grod, dad, can't you just ask her polite questions like a normal thing? You know, 'what are your intentions' and stuff like that!" She glanced at Bubblegum, who was beyond pale. "Look dad we gotta go before she passes out. Righteous performance, dad, really; scaring my girlfriend half to death. You're so embarrassing! Just like…I don't know, be normal sometime!" She lifted the princes and floated into the room they had entered from. Facing the wall she lifted her hand and opened the portal back to the Candy Kingdom.

"Wait, you can't leave the Night-O-Sphere!" He yelled after them.

"Can it, dad, I got the paper work!" Marceline hollered back, before stepping back into Ooo and closing the gateway behind them. She placed Bubblegum on her bed, who had immediately regained some color upon reentry to her kingdom. Marceline could see the wall staring smugly at her. Both it and she had known it was a terrible idea. _This is it. It's over. My fucking father ruined it. My fucking homeland ruined it. Everything is over. _She fought back tears as she sat onto the flood, face cradled in both her hands. Minutes passed.

"Marci?" Bubblegum finally inquired, breaking the silence. _Fuck. Fuckity fuck shit fuck here it comes. 'Get out of here!' or 'Banished!' or 'Guards come get the monster!'_ She had been looking at the vampire for quite some time. Marceline sniffled and looked over at her. "I didn't know you're last name was Abadeer." She said lightly, smiling.

Marceline hiccupped out a small laugh, and then another, until she was bellowing and Bubblegum had no choice but to join her. She floated up and sat on the bed next to the princess. "It isn't really. I inherit his blood but not his name. It's like…a demon thing or whatever. I don't remember my last name." she said softly.

Bubblegum hummed. "Demons have strange customs." She breathed, her mind wandering its scientific ways to the variation of demon and candy-person customs, traditions, and ideals. She hadn't been in the Night-O-Sphere for long, but she could easily write an essay on the contrasting environments.

"Yeah…sorry about that Bonnibel." Marceline replied, thoroughly apologetic and both disappointed and embarrassed.

Bubblegum whipped her head to face the vampire. "I know you are and it's okay, really. Even if it was…an experience–"

"_That's_ putting it nicely…" Marceline mumbled over her.

"I'm still glad I at least got to meet your father. I…I just forgot that you were different. Not a full demon. Not a monster. I expected him to be like you is all. Foolish mistake." She smiled, and placed a hand on the vampire's cheek.

Marceline gulped, leaning into the touch. "Are…are we still okay?"

"Yeah…we're still okay. Wonderful. Magnificent. In love." She giggled and the vampire smirked, bumping her shoulder into the candy princess lightly.

Marceline stared at the wall and smirked, knowing that it saw her. Because glib-globbit, walls do have faces.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**So...this one is from _Amelia Sprightly_, _AlexandraAuditore _and _toolazytosignupforanaccount _who all wanted Marci's dad. I'm not sure if I'm 100% with this one but this is where it led. I'll probably do another Night-O-Sphere chapter later on.**

**PLEASE REVIEW AND SUGGEST!**

**I'll try to get to all of you but methinks a smut chapter might be next. (Lots of people loved dominant Marceline) Thanks all so much for the reviews! See you on the flip side!**

**-JD**


	26. In the InBetween

Chapter 26: In the In-Between

Marceline floated idly, staring out across the vastness of the ocean, strumming her axe-bass in an absent minded way. The day had been pretty bland. It was encroaching on two years since she had left her tree house, spent a year with her father, and then began adventuring in the most mindlessly dangerous ways imaginable. She had been all over Ooo and into every dimension and had visited lands that she was sure had no names to begin with. She had visited home to take care of this and that (what with her being the Queen and all) but generally she was left to her own devices. Now though, she was in the in-between; not home, not adventuring, simply being. It bothered her.

_I wonder if anyone thinks about me…I did frighten all of those candy people half to exploding. _She smirked and thought of those little candy citizens plagued for eternity with nightmares of the devilish Vampire Queen come to drink their blood and render them her mindless slaves. She lightly wondered if that's actually the person that she was, or if that was merely the image others forced upon her. She told herself it was the first; she knew it to be the second. Still, she couldn't go back to that life, back to those people, back to Bubblegum. _After all, what am I to them? Just a monster that was 'using' their princess for nefarious means. Like…whatever, man._

Suddenly, a portal split its way open in the space next to her and a demon popped his head out. "Hey!" she reprimanded angrily, "You cannot leave the Night-O-Sphere!" her hair billowed in the windless air. After all, it had taken a lumping long time for that issue to be fully handled. Still, this was a lesser demon, and it wasn't like she couldn't rip him in two if she so desired.

"I know, Marceline! Apologies, but…you are needed in the Night-O-Sphere _immediately_!" The red man squeaked.

The vampire looked at him with suspicion, wondering if this was another attempt on her throne. _Immediately? I am never needed immediately…Dad is, but I'm not._ She continued to eye the demon, who was glancing behind himself nervously. "Please, highness…we…don't know what's going on and Lord Abadeer is no good at handling…um…political situations!"

Marceline nodded, deciding the plea to be true enough. After all, whenever something happened and deals with Death or the Cosmic Owl were involved, Hunson Abadeer either went full-on crazed demon, or simply dropped out of his dimension for a while to avoid it. He was simply no good at cross-dimensional dealings. So, she followed the demon through the portal, which closed up right behind the two of them.

To say the Night-O-Sphere was in chaos was putting it mildly. It was the Night-O-Sphere, it remained in perpetual chaos, but whatever this was, was something heretofore unknown to the Vampire queen. Walls were crumbling and demons were biting each other's heads off and the lines were in complete and total disarray. "What in the name of Ooo is going on here?" she shouted over the cacophony.

The demon simply tugged her along through the carnage and to her office doors. By the time she got there, she was entirely livid, having been bled on, spit on, attacked, and generally disregarded. _Glob, Dad is supposed to take care of all this shit! _She kicked open the double doors to her office only to find papers flying everywhere and demons in general panic, which was odd because demons don't usually panic about anything. She stormed through the mess and yelled, "All right, someone tell me what the fuck is going on right fucking now!" Passing by the two rows of desks and heading up to her own (generally) unused one where her phone was ringing.

Shouts for her to 'do something' and to 'fix it' permeated the air as demons of every shape and size fumbled around trying to find some way to make whatever was happening, _stop_ happening. She pointed angrily to the demon that had brought her into the Night-O-Sphere, growing more demonic by the second at the lack of order and explanation. Her teeth fanged, her hair whipped in fierce tendrils, and her voice held the voices of a hundred souls as she yelled, "You! Tell me what's going on!"

A very small, very scared demon rushed up to her, "But Marceline! You have the Cosmic Owl on line on and Death is waiting as well! Not to mention the Ghost King and–" She picked the little demon up and unhinged her jaw, letting the entire expanse of her mouth envelop him, and let out a gut-wrenching death-inducing roar.

"I'm not talking to _anybody _until I know why my Night-O-Sphere is in total panic! Now!" The demon who had brought her coughed and she followed him to an adjoining room normally save for the (incredibly few) meeting she held. Inside it was much quieter, as not a single demon was present save for her guide, who was now hiding behind her, and herself. She calmed down significantly.

Before her were two demons who seemed to be phasing out of this world and into another. Half a body was there, half wasn't, sometimes they were whole, sometimes not there at all. It was as though something was pulling them away but they were pulling themselves back. She stared at them, the gears in her head grinding away. Never, in her over 900 years of being the logistical half of the Night-O-Sphere, had she ever seen anything like this. _Not quite here, not quite there…what the glob is going on here?_ She burst through the doors and back out to the office space. She floated hurriedly to her desk.

"I have the Cosmic Owl on the line?" She received a nod. "Death too? And Ghost King?" More nodding. She scowled. Generally when they all contacted her, it was to cast blame. "Okay someone go into the library and find out if anything like this has ever happened in the past you hear me! And for shit's sake someone bring me the decree on inter-dimensional travel _right _fucking now! And I mean the whole fucking thing!" A few demons scuttled off to do this and that. She picked up the phone.

"Marceline." She said curtly, as the Cosmic Owl started ripping into her. "What? No you overgrown bird, I–well how am I supposed to know! –You should know you turkey! You're the fucking Cosmic Owl! You're supposed to know all! –My fault? How is I my fault I have– I'll let you know that is _not _what we do 'down here' and–"

A demon ran up to her with a piece of paper and handed it to her. It was the highly abridged decree on travel and she shouted, not bothering to cover the mouth piece, "No, you lumping idiot! The full 10-page deal, you got me! Find it! And for shit's sake someone get my fucking Dad in here _right_ fucking now!" She turned back to the phone.

"I'll talk however the fuck I want to! –Yes, I am the Queen you 'All Knowing' sack of feathers! I'll figure this out since you can't seem to!" She slammed the phone down on its receiver (only to have it start ringing again immediately) and picked up another. "Marceline! Yes! Death! No I do not know what's going on; no it is not the doing of the Night-O-Sphere! –If anything I'd say it's your fucking fault you bag of bones! –You're the one with half dead people running around your realm! –Well I've got a couple ass holes here that seem to be in some freaky ass in-between place! –Well how do I know you aren't trying some sort of coup? We all know how power mad you are! –What? –You fucking rotting shell! I'm the reason you're realm still exists at all! Between you and the Cosmic Owl, you both couldn't figure out how to butter toast!"

She hung up the phone (it started ringing again), and a demon brought her the full manuscript on her decree for inter-dimensional travel and began skimming it as she picked up the third phone to find a Ghost King thoroughly panicked, but not nearly as accusatory at Death or the Cosmic Owl had been. "Marceline. –Yes, Ghost King. –Neither Death nor the Cosmic Owl know what– Well I'm trying to figure it out, highness! –No it wasn't us. –How do your affected look? –What?" she shouted, and tossed her decree aside.

"What do you mean like their becoming human again? –In-between whole and ghost? – What–" she cut herself off. "Okay look, Highness, I think I may know what's going on. We have the four death realms with beings who seem to be neither here nor there, suggesting that they are in-between life and death and– Yes I know that it isn't logical but– Look what can I say? –No, these people are trying to get back to earth. –Not in a necromancy way in a permanent way you spectral fuddy-duddy! –Fuck you! I'm the only one doing anything! All I know is someone or some_thing_ back on Earth is calling these dead souls to– Aaargh! You are all useless!" She slammed the phone down on its receiver.

"Where the fuck is my fucking dad!" she yelled into the room. She picked up the first phone again. "Owl I–yes I fucking hung up on you, your self-righteous ass! –No! Shut up and listen! Someone on Earth is trying to call these souls back permanently and– What? **Yes I realize it hasn't happened before**! –No! Not a necromancer! –_Fuck I'll just take care of it_!" She yelled, before picking up Death's line.

"Death, something is going on on Earth because someone is trying to bring these souls back permanently and– Oh for fuck's sake I _realize_ that! –Listen! None of you all can go to Earth so _as fucking usual_ I'm going to go and fix this fucking problem! Useless, the lot of you!" She hung up and Made her way to a free space in the air so she could get back to Ooo. She yelled out to the demon who brought her and said, "If my Dad comes in you tell him I want to speak with I'm as _soon_ as I'm fucking back!" and with that, she opened a portal and was back in Ooo. She flew all around and fast as she could (which is damn fast) and checked all the logical points.

Mages, magicians, witches, necromancers, wolf-men, wizards, and nothing. In desperation, she flew back over the Candy Kingdom and peeked in the castle to see a boy, a dog, and a bunch of candy people beating up zombies. She scoffed. _ Fucking Bubblegum and her fucking obsession with messing with things that shouldn't be messed with! Her and her fucking science!_ She growled and punched the glass, prepared to go all-kinds-of crazy on the zombies, but the next thing she knew, Bubblegum was handing out some kind of serum and everyone was returning to full life.

She knew a time skip when she saw one, but what really concerned her was that these people were back and kicking. She sighed, knowing a complete shit storm was headed her way. _Fucking girl can't mind her own fucking business! _She thought angrily, pretending not to notice how lovely and grown-up the princess looked, because she most definitely did _not_ notice those things. She opened a portal and exhaustedly went back to the Night-O-Sphere only to find it in even more panic then before. Demons of all shapes and sizes yelled at her for this reason or that reason, thoroughly freaked out because the in-betweeners were gone.

She picked up Cosmic Owl's line. "Yes. –Yes, I know. –No it wasn't me. –Zombies. –Yes zombies. A Candy girl experimented with reanimation and succeeded. –Well I don't know or care because that is _your_ responsibility! _You're_ the cosmic owl! Ugh, just…whatever!"

She picked up Death's line. "Death– No I didn't take them I– Calm the fuck down! –Look! I went to Ooo and– Yes I found out! –Zombies that are now fully reanimated beings. –You got a problem, talk to the Cosmic Owl! You know, master of fate, life, death and destiny! Yeah, him!"

She picked up Ghost King's line. "Hello Majesty, I– Okay deep breath or –Just relax and –Okay listen just– calm the fuck down! –Better? –Okay look, a girl in Ooo fully reanimated dead being okay? Your ghosts are just back in their bodies. –Yes? –Yes. The Cosmic Owl, master of Time and the Passage of Time. Yup. Okay. Good night, Ghost King."

She went out to the balcony adjacent to her desk. Going full-on demon, she shouted over the masses, "People! The in-betweeners have gone back to Ooo. Don't freak, they were zombies who got fully re-animated, so calm the fuck down!" It was as if the entire Night-O-Sphere took a giant chill-pill. The chaos went back to a normal amount, and the walls stopped collapsing of their own accord.

"Marceline! Sweetie!" Came that deep rumbling voice she knew too well.

"Dad." She growled, and (for once) he cowered away from her. "I know you don't fucking like logistics but I swear to fucking life and death that if you ever fucking leave me to deal with a situation with the Cosmic Owl, Death, and Ghost King alone again, I'll make sure there's a new fucking King of the Night-O-Sphere, you got me? If you don't wanna deal with them fine, but you better fucking handle your realm because I can't fucking do both!" And she opened a portal and left the Night-O-Sphere.

The ocean whispered against the shore. _Maybe it's time I go back home…to my tree house…all this shit is too…crazy for me. I need to relax. _

She didn't want to go back for Bubblegum. Not at all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**I'm bad. I know. I'm so sorry. :( This is from _Guest_ and_ Toolazytosignupforanaccount. _The request was where Marci was for Zombies. Welp...this is what I thought about when it was mentioned. Grod guys I'm so, so, so sorry for being a shit at updating. SO sorry.**

**PLEASE REVIEW AND SUGGEST**

**I'm already writing the next chapter! I swear swear swear! It's going to be PBs reactions to all of Marcie's forms. (NSFW for the tentacle monster)**

**-Jupiter Delphinus**


	27. In Good Form

Chapter 27: In Good Form

**Bat (Small)**

She heard their whispers. Candy people, heck, all people, seem to forget she is sort-of a super human. By sort-of, of course, it really means she is. In fact, there is almost nothing she can't do. Pyrokinesis, telekinesis, necromancy, invisibility, self-healing, flying…grod, she's the most powerful being on the face of the planet. This list of abilities (unfortunately for her) includes very acute hearing. The pointy ears help besides.

She floating down the street just after sundown, so there are still people out and grod, can she hear them. Mutterings here and there, disdain cast her way through cruel words. 'Vampire,' 'monster,' 'freak,' and her personal favorite, 'demon.' _Don't they know I could rip them apart in less than the blink of an eye? Don't they know who I am, what I'm capable of? _But then she remembers_…of course they know who I am and what I'm capable of. My very being is what they sneer at, what they fear, and what they bash._

It has not been a good day for Marceline. She had had to go back to the Night-O-Sphere to handle a situation between her father and Death and the universe knows how terrible her dad is at diplomacy. _Why he insists on bi-annual poker games with the rulers of the other realms of death is entirely beyond me. I mean really…the Cosmic Owl and Ghost King are chill dudes, but why would you want to gamble with a walking double-dealing skeleton?_ When Hunson Abadeer, Lord of Evil, King of the Night-O-Sphere had bet four of his highest ranking demons with a royal straight, he hadn't expected to lose.

Until Death got a flush.

This, naturally, erupted in a slew of slanderous flingings from her father accusing Death of cheating. Chances were he did cheat, power-hungry as he was, but that didn't make any difference at all. Hunson Abadeer was not used to not getting his way. So she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised when a portal opened up in her room and her father's face, planted firmly on the other side (one cannot leave the Night-O-Sphere), was whining (yes whining) at her to come and resolve the situation.

Death was all riled up and at first refused to accept anything less than the four demon souls he was promised, calling Marceline a 'Useless, mutated, half-breed maggot,' which, of course, is her _favorite_ thing to be called. Unwilling to screw Death over completely, she dropped a casual threat and renegotiated for two demon souls to be given to him and three lesser spirits (a polite term for the cannibalistic _corpses_ that man ruled over) to be given to her father. Her father had called her useless for losing him two demons and Death called her a pretentious bitch for losing him two demons.

Not a good day.

So, all she wanted to do was float through the candy kingdom, up to Bonni, and have a decent time listening to her complain about the candy council or go on about some experiment or another and eat strawberries. However, floating across the plains, she had run into Finn and Jake, who were all too keen to 'train up' with her which would of course entail the three of them fighting. When she had denied, Finn had begged, claiming her to be a 'badical, all-powerful demonic entity of supreme evil and power.' As idiotic and overtly naïve as the boy was, she couldn't help but latch on to the 'supreme evil demon' part as she went on her way, doing a commendable job of not tearing his head of where he stood. _Because I could…if I really wanted to. In less than the blink of an eye._

And, naturally, the citizens of the candy kingdom and their general distrust of anything that wasn't made of candy (and wasn't Finn or Jake) did nothing to help her mood. She told herself again and again that she wasn't a monster, but there's only so much a being can take. True, she was a shape-shifting demon, but it was the sheer hatred behind the words that really ate at her. So, as she floated up to the Princess' balcony, she shrunk and shrunk and shrunk until she was her small little bat-celine self. She opened the door and the princess turned with a smile on her face, which fell instantly as she took in the form Marceline had taken.

Bubblegum walked over and grabbed her, lying down on the bed as the little bat nuzzled its way far into the crook of her neck. "You know it always makes me sad when you're like this, Marceline; but I can't help but absolutely love how adorable you are when you become a little bat." The small body hiccupped and the princess knew she was crying. "It's that big, flat nose that sells it. Takes up your entire little face and makes you just about the cutest thing I've ever seen." She cooed gently, squeezing Marceline just as tight as she dared. She began to tear up as well.

"I don't know how anyone could see you as a monster in any form…"

* * *

><p><strong> Bat (big)<strong>

"Marceline!" The little princess yelled, running through the halls in a fury. As illogical as she knew it to be, the shadows were chasing her. _They're feeding their way through the halls and slinking in their darkness, all too intent on gobbling me up_. _I know it!_ "Marceline!" she hollered again, knowing the only way to fight off the monsters was with someone bigger and stronger and scarier than her. _She'll protect me, I know she will!_ True, the vampire wasn't in the castle as far as she was aware, but when Bubblegum yelled for her, the demon generally had a way of appearing. Being seven was most decidedly frightening at night time, and Marceline was most decidedly not seven.

Bubblegum hadn't meant to stay in her lab so late, honestly! And she really ought to have those dreadfully flickering candles in that hall replaced with electricity. She burst through the doors of her room and dove under the covers. She cowered, hearing a slight wind enter her room, and she knew, _knew, _it was the shadow monsters coming to get her.

"Bonni? You okay?" the shy voice came.

Bubblegum flung the sheets off her body and whispered fervently, "Marceline! Get over here quick!" She gestured wildly to under the covers, where the elder vampire promptly joined her.

"Okay Little One, I'll bite…what's up?" she said, smirking.

Firstly, Bubblegum scowled. "I am not so little! I am seven and one quarter years old, thank you very much? We can't all be all old like you!" she huffed. "And second…there are shadow monsters and I need you here to fend them off." She said matter-of-factly.

Marceline stared at her. "So…you are not so little…but there are shadow monsters." The vampire noted incredulously. The candy princess nodded. "Shadow monsters that you need me to fend off." Again, a nod and, deciding not to push the silliness of it, Marceline said, "Alright. I'll stay all night until just before dawn if that's what you want."

A huge grin broke out over Bubblegum's face. "Fear not, milady. I'll protect you." The vampire teased lightly. And she grew and grew and changed until she was a big old bat. Bubblegum stared up at her wide-eyed. Marceline smiled, several fangs showing.

"I had no idea you could do that! The monsters will definitely stay away now!" The candy princess exclaimed triumphantly, "You're excellent, Marceline!"

* * *

><p><strong>Wolf<strong>

Marceline had told Bubblegum over and over again that it was a bad idea. _I mean really…why, why in all of Ooo…would a Princess…a right royal, wears pink, has servants Princess want to come out on a full moon into the middle of the wood so she can 'study' the wolf-peoples of Ooo. I mean…Finn being a hug-wolf for a spell is one thing but why- were- how- who-, grod even whenwolves are a pretty vicious bunch. _She glanced over at the Candy Princess who was sitting on a rock with a notebook, writing fervent notes on every howl at every interval of the moon's course across the sky, what the moon looked like, where the shadows fell, and what exactly the howl sounded like.

Bubblegum had begged, and begged, and begged for Marceline to take her out on a full moon to study the wolves and (being in love) Marceline had finally relented. Finn and Jake had refused on the principle that it was too dangerous for a princess. _And they would be absolutely one-hundred percent lumping right for once in their silly lives. Grod I should have never agreed to this._ Marceline stood at the edge of the clearing, her hyper-awareness keeping Bubblegum safe. She had brought them close (but not too close) to a pack of Werewolves (the worst kind of –wolf) and she was regretting it immensely. It wasn't a very big clearing, shaped the size of a kidney with trees and darkness surrounding the two. _Not enough space…not enough space…frack man, this was such a bad idea…_

Just then, Marceline heard a howl that she didn't like at all. _Oh fuck. Oh fuck!_ She rushed across the clearing to Bonni who was scribbling away and whispered, "Bonni listen to me. Stay quiet, silent as night itself, and let's get the fuck out of here right now."

Bubblegum simply huffed. "But why Marceline? I haven't nearly enough data…and honestly if we were to get closer to the pack, I could gather so much more." Marceline turned away trying hard to listen to the sounds of the pack, which she now knew was on the move. "And I know you promised to tell me what all the howls meant but how am I supposed to study werewolves properly without some actual visual data?" Marceline scowled. _Too loud she's being far too loud! I can't hear them! _The vampire's eyes darted nervously from one shadow to another. "It's absolutely preposterous to think that I can properly glean quantifiable data from some howls in the night! I mean really!"

The princess finally fell silent, and the forest went with her. "They're here." Marceline whispered, more to herself than anyone. Slowly and cautiously, she backed up close to her princess, who had finally felt something severely off with the atmosphere of the night.

"M-Marceline?" she choked out, thinking that perhaps she should have listened to Marceline all those times the vampire had denied her the outing.

"Stay very, _very_ close to me, Bonnibel." Marceline told her, putting an arm out, eyes following the unseen trails of the wolves.

It happened before the Candy Princess could even think. Marceline had pushed her aside, twirling her around, and had punched a werewolf right in the face, hissing wildly as it fell to the ground unconscious. It was large…massive. Bigger than any man by a full head and wild. Jet black spikes of hair jutted out at odd angles and teeth too big for its head forced the mouth open at all times. Claws on both the hind and front paws were wet with blood and the eyes were unsettlingly yellow and animalistic. It wore the remnants of pants.

Bubblegum breathed heavily and said, "Well that wasn't so bad."

Marceline scowled, corralling the princess close to her once more. "That was a small one." She said simply, eyeing her perimeter for the next attack.

Tears sprung instantly to Bubblegum's eyes. "Oh lump. Oh _glob_ Marceline I'm sorry! I don't want to die, I can't die! I'm only twenty-two!"

_Fuck I can't have her breaking down on me right now! _"Bonnibel do you trust me?" the vampire yelled back at the princess.

"W-well I-I-I mean–"

"Yes or no: do you trust me?" Marceline restated with fear and urgency. She wasn't afraid for herself, but for Bubblegum.

"I do." Came the sure answer.

"Good now get on the fucking ground curl up and just trust me!" Marceline yelled when all at once five werewolves were attacking what the princess could only assume was Marceline.

She was bigger, far bigger than she had ever been, and a wolf, to say the least. Marceline sported jet-black and fine hair with long pearly claws and daggers for teeth. Muscled rippled under the short hairs and a single circle of red was prominent in each yellow eye. She was a beautiful creature, and Bubblegum hadn't quite expected her to turn into a –wolf, but seeing her in such a form was almost majestic. If she wasn't getting bits ripped out of her by the pack of werewolves.

Marceline tore wildly at the attackers, trying her best not to hurt them too badly for not only their own sakes, but for Bonni's. _I don't need her to see me kill some people tonight…thank Ooo it's just a small pack._ Still, small pack or no, they were clawing, biting, pinching, pinning, jumping, tearing and attacking Marceline with everything they had. Each secured attack caused Marceline to howl in pain. _Two-inch teeth sinking into my shoulder…not a pleasant feeling._ She snarled inwardly. Of course these were magical wounds, and wouldn't heal like your everyday sunburn, oh no. These, the Vampire Queen would be stuck with for a while.

Of the five that had attacked her, she had taken three down. But the last two, one of which was decidedly the alpha, wouldn't stay down. Of course, this is when the smallest werewolf, the one that had jumped out before the others, began to wake and set its eyes on Bubblegum. Marceline was entirely caught up with fighting when she heard the scream of "Marceline!" only to turn and see Bubblegum backing away slowly from a wolfman.

The vampire willed the candy princess silently not to run into the woods. To do _anything_ but run into the woods. Just as the alpha landed a scratch right over her face, Bubblegum bolted off into the forest, the werewolf quick on her heels. Marceline let out a roar that sent bats miles away into their caves, and smashed the last two of her wolves heads together, knocking them out, before running frantically into the woods herself, praying she wasn't too late.

_Of all the stupid, idiotic, dumb things to do! And she's supposed to be a genius! _Marceline sniffed the air, following the sweet trail of Bubblegum. She spotted her in between rows of trees, and saw the wolf ready to pounce. She tackled him mid-air before he could reach Bubblegum, and unhinged her jaw, letting her demonic insides scare him and his pack away. She crouched on her paws, huffing and breathing heavily before standing on her hind ones and turning to Bubblegum.

"Do you have _any_ idea how _stupid_ that was? _Any _idea?" Tears sprung to the princess' eyes, but Marceline was too angry to care. "First you want to study wolves. Then you don't listen to me when I try to get us out! _Again_ you don't listen to me about staying the _fuck_ down, staying _fucking_ silent, and _not fucking moving_!" The candy girl was full-on crying now at the frightening animosity that oozed out of Marceline. "Then, of all things, you get up and run into the woods! These are fucking hunting creatures! Hunting things that hunt _in the fucking forest_! So what do you do? Run right into the fucking woods! You were so _stupid_ Bonnibel. So very, _very_ stupid! Don't you know that?" The vampire girl then noticed that she was crying as well. She walked up to the sitting girl and melted back into herself, hugging her. "I could have lost you, Bonni…I could have lost you…" she cried into a pink shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Marceline. I'm so sorry." Bubblegum begged, squeezing the girl tight. The adrenaline of the fight having worn off, Marceline cried out weakly in pain at the hug, collapsing onto the grassy ground, fighting uneven breaths. Bubblegum cried over her. "I'm sorry! Oh glob I'm so sorry! Why aren't you healed? Oh glob, oh glob! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Marceline grabbed the panicked girl's hand. "It's okay Bonnibel. They're magic wounds so I'll have them for a week or two. I think– I think– I think I'll be– be okay…" The vampire rasped, stumbling over her sentences. She felt Bonni lifting her and the two of them walking, and then she was waking up suddenly in Bubblegum's bed.

"Marceline!" the candy princess exclaimed. "Oh thank the Cosmic Owl! Oh glob I was so worried! I thought you had–I thought you were…"

Marceline understood. "I'm fine, Bubblegum. Nothing to lose your eloquence over." She joked.

This, of course, infuriated her lover. "Marceline it's not nothing! Three days! Three days you were out and I thought you had –! You have no heart beat! How am I supposed to–when do I–-how can I tell if you are alive if you have no indications of being alive in the first place! You stupid, cruel, flitty…_vampire_!" she hollered, tears streaming down her face.

Marceline stared at her for a moment. "No 'thanks for saving my life, Marceline. Here, let me throw you a ball.'? I mean…you do it all the time for that boy and his dog…"

Bubblegum physically shook. "You…you–!" she began, before angrily crashing her lips into Marceline's in a kiss that was all teeth and tongue. "Grod I love you so much…" she whispered. "Promise me you won't scare me like that again…"

Marceline looked at her intently. "You know why I can't promise you that…" She said, more quiet than the wind.

Bubblegum hiccupped a sob. "I know…I also know that if I had known you had had that absolutely _gorgeous_ wolf form I would have just studied you!"

Marceline smirked. "I think you study me plenty…" She suggested, and the candy girl went red. "'Sides, I'm a shape shifter, not a werewolf. You're 'data' would not have been 'quantifiable,' as you say. Although…it's good to know you think I'm 'gorgeous' as a wolf."

Bubblegum looked over confused. "I always think your gorgeous, Marceline."

* * *

><p><strong>Lizard<strong>

She was walking through the halls as usual when she heard it. _It almost sounds like…scuttling… _Bubblegum quirked her head and, hearing nothing else, shrugged it off, continuing on her way. That is, until she heard it again. _Okay it was totally there this time._ She glanced around nervously before the realization hit her.

"Marceline." She said into the supposed-to-be-empty hall. There was no reply. "Marceline the Vampire Queen I know your slinking about somewhere!" she called out. Still no reply. "You can't get the jump on me anymore, Nightstalker! I've been subjected to your scares since I was ten years old…that's eleven years and you're all out of juice!" she taunted.

Down the hall, a shadow moved. _Was that a…? No, it couldn't have been. Sure she can do a lot, but not even Marceline can animate rock to move._ She smirked. "I saw you down there moving, oh devious one! You've lost your touch!" The shadow moved closer to her this time. _It…it looked just like a statue. It can't be…she isn't capable…_

"M-Marceline you've had your fun. I know it's you so come on out!" She heard the scuttling immediately to her right and shrieked, running off down the long hall until she got almost to the end. _Maybe she hasn't lost her touch at all. _She was breathing heavily and shaking in her boots. "M-Marceline? Where…where are you?" Bubblegum asked, gulping.

"Here!" one of her statues spoke, and she let out a full-fledged, girly, terrified scream, which Marceline proceeded to laugh over.

Recapturing her heart, which felt like it had jumped right out of her chest, Bubblegum asked, "What the lump _are _you?" and completely forgot to be angry, so absorbed as she was by Marceline's new shape.

"Umm…I call it my lizard form. You like? Fashioned it to look just like your statues here."

True, the girl was covered head to toe in deep green scales. Her eyes were huge and glowed lime green, and two curled horns poked out from her hair. "Lizard? But my statues are gargoyles…"

Marceline shrugged. "Yeah…but when I made the look, the scales came with it."

Bubblegum took a moment. "You fashioned a new body–"

"Yup."

"To look like my gargoyles–"

"Yup."

"Just so you could scare me."

"Yup."

Bubblegum looked at her lover. "You're a real shit, you know that?"

"Yup."

The two shared a smile and a kiss.

* * *

><p><strong> Tentacle Monster<strong>

Marceline had come within inches of dying. And there is nothing quite like being faced with your own mortality to make you a little bit off. The coup for her throne had been bloody. Over a hundred demons all trying to kill her and several almost succeeding. It had lasted for three weeks, and she hadn't seen Bonnibel.

When she was finished, Demons demoted to inch worms under her shoes, she opened a portal right out of the Night-O-Sphere and into Bonnibel Bubblegum's room. Her axe and clothes were covered in blood. Her eyes were black and hollow. The princess walked into her room and four tentacles that had sprouted out of Marceline's back pinned her to the closed door behind her by each of her appendages. She gasped as the vampire floated over to her. "M-Marceline! Thank the Cosmic Owl! I-I thought they had killed you! I would have never known! I would have–!"

Marceline pulled her off the wall and slammed her back into it harshly. "Shut up," She growled at the candy girl, sinking her teeth (all spiked) into her prey and draining the entire side of a pink neck as well as some shoulder and face of color. Bubblegum cried out in pain, before giving in to the heady, mind-numbing feeling of Marceline drinking her color. "Your mine." Came the rumble from Marceline.

Bubblegum didn't know, and frankly, didn't want to know, what had happened to Marceline over the past three weeks. But whatever had happened, she understood that in some way, the vampire needed this; needed her. "Yours." She said, and two more tentacles, which she hadn't known Marceline to be capable of producing, sprouted from her back, while what seemed to be black ink soaked its way over the rest of the girl, turning every inch of her to pitch. The vampire girl had never looked (or felt) so positively demonic.

The extra tentacles easily tore Bubblegum's dress in two while the rest of her was thrown angrily onto the bed. The candy girl was breathing heavily in arousal and fear. She trusted Marceline implicitly, but had never seen her this way before. Almost hollow. She gulped as the vampire floated across the room and over her onto the bed.

Smooth tendrils exploded from the pitched back, touching and teasing every inch of skin they could find. A pair of hands and lips joined the fray, nipping and tugging and licking at every sensitive spot the princess had. There was so much going on, Bubblegum felt like she was ready to explode from over-stimulation. Still, Marceline (or any part of her) stayed unpleasantly clear from where she needed it most.

Her naval was nibbled and her breasts were squeezed while her nipples were tugged and she felt like she could die in heaven right there. The movements slowed and Marceline came up to meet her eye for a moment before diving in to nibble at her neck while a tentacle (finally) began teasing her where she needed it most. Somewhere along the way, the vampire too had lost her clothes.

"I can feel what they feel you know." Marceline said, her voice deep, gravelly, oily. Bubblegum gasped at the idea. To have all of these things touching her and to know Marceline could feel her all over, it added to her stimulation. The tendril teased at her entrance, circling her clit slowly and without nearly enough pressure. "Do you want me to fuck you? To fill you up completely? I'll be able to feel you clenching around me…do you want that?"

As filthy as the words were, Bubblegum knew that Marceline was really asking if it was okay. It reassured her to know that _her_ Marceline was still in there somewhere, although she really didn't have time to think about that at the moment, because all her mind registered and all her mouth said was "Oh grod, yes! Please!"

And with that, she was completely filled by her lover. The sensation was overwhelming as the vampire began to pump furiously in and out of her, and they both moaned. Somewhere, Bubblegum registered that whatever was going on with these tentacle things was not only bringing her the most pleasure she had ever felt, it was bringing Marceline pleasure too. A smaller tentacle found its way to her clit as Marceline reached up to cup her cheeks and kiss her blind.

"So good…grod, Marci, so good!" Bubblegum said, breathing out and into the vampire.

"Bonni…Bonni…!" Marceline repeated like a mantra, her own pleasure mounting.

The tentacle inside her twisted and squirmed, hitting spots she didn't know she had and spots she knew she had all at once. Sensing the pink girl's closeness, Marceline went deeper, faster, harder, causing Bubblegum to scream out in ecstasy as heat coiled its way around her body. "More! Marceline! Don't stop! Don't ever stop!" she cried, tears of sheer pleasure collecting in her eyes.

"With me…Bonni…with me!" The vampire begged, knowing she was too close to hold off.

Bubblegum clawed at the girl above her. "Oh grod…oh fuck…Marceline!" she yelled, as the most intense orgasm of her life washed over her, blinding her in unadulterated pleasure. Marceline came with her and for several moments, it's was as though the two were suspended in time.

Marceline collapsed to the side of her and curled up around the candy princess. "I love you. So much." She whispered heavily through the fog of happy delirium.

"I love you. I was so…so scared." Bubblegum hiccupped. "I don't know what I'd do without you if you had…had died…" She whispered, almost too afraid even to say it.

"I almost did…"

There was a mounting silence as Bubblegum simply pushed herself as close to Marceline as she could get, and the vampire girl held on for dear life.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Well then...there you go. Now I understand that Marceline probably has more forms than the one's I've done, but in Adventure Time, these are the forms she has taken. I realized I took some liberties, I hope everyone's okay with that. This (very long) one is from _Lucky Ryuujin, ZeLuNatic22,_ and _Toolazytosignupforanaccount_ who all wanted either more dominant Marci, or Marci's forms.  
><strong>

**PLEASE REVIEW AND SUGGEST!**

**So guys...I just went through all my reviews again and good glob, thank you so much. I mean really...grod...like, super lumping embarrasing. I still need to do babies, and what happened after the hall scene and lovey-dovey sugarless gum and so much more...an dit just warms my heart to know you guys are right there next to me on this one. Like...I'm getting reviews from people who have never read a femslash or don't usually read sugarless gum or ship it and they're totally into it and it's AWESOME. Like seriously. Thank you. Thank you so so so so so so much. I'll try to have another up soon.**

**-JD**


	28. Made Earlier

Chapter 28: Made Earlier

"Marceline…tell me about your childhood."

The vampire's heart sank at the request. Not only had it not really been a request in the first place, her early days (heck, her first few hundred years) were not something she really cared to remember. So, instead of addressing the issue with a twenty-one year old Bonnibel Bubblegum, she flippantly avoided the topic, as was her usual candor. "What do you mean, Bonnibel?" she evaded.

"Well…like…I don't know…" The candy princess murmured, losing all her nerve from asking the question in the first place. Her voice fell into embarrassed whispers. "I just…I know you weren't always a vampire and I know you didn't always drink red and I know your father hasn't been around a lot and I know you are really a good person despite your protests and I just…I don't know…and I want to." Bubblegum glanced up from her place on the bed to look at a floating Marceline in earnest.

Now came the internal battle that Marceline always fought whenever something personal was to be told about her. She pursed her lips and furrowed her brow in concentration. Bubblegum waited patiently, expectantly, as Marceline figured out whether or not to divulge this information.

Still, the vampire struggled. _Should I tell her? I mean…I suppose she has a right to know who I was…I've known her for her whole life, so it would only be in the interest of fairness. But glob knows that girl is going to ask a million questions about things I'd probably wish I couldn't remember. And that's another thing! Who's to say I remember everything she wants to know anyway? I mean…I was created during a time of ultimate destruction and war and honestly, that is not such a nice thing to remember. Would she even want to know about that? But then again she does love history…and I do love her…_

Marceline looked at Bubblegum for a moment before turning away, her mind made up. "Honestly, Bubblegum, it isn't something I'm too keen on remembering." She said quietly, a silent sigh of painful times past escaping her. "My childhood was…unfortunate. I don't remember my birth parents in the slightest and to say my father was a good man would be a gross exaggeration. To say he was a bad man would be a gross understatement." Bubblegum sat criss-crossed on the bed, eyeing Marceline with intense focus. The vampire had not caught her gaze. "When I first met Hunson Abadeer he told me his name was Maddox. He later told me it was a name the humans had bestowed upon him. Either way…" she sighed, "either way he was–is– a monster. He killed three people before my eyes at the age of five. And I told him I wasn't scared. Thinking back…I don't think I knew anything but fear, so this new thing was just another terror.

"He tried so hard to scare me but I…I told him I wasn't and that he should…that I wanted to…" Marceline blinked back tears, casting her head down and away from Bubblegum so she couldn't see. Five-year-old Marceline was not a pleasant memory. "I didn't know. I was so young, so young. All I knew was that if he bit me, I'd still live. That's all I knew…I didn't know…I didn't think that…" she choked on her words, the stupidity of her actions overwhelming her. "If I could do it again, I'd have him kill me." She whispered with angry conviction.

Bubblegum began crying at the revelation, but remained silent, allowing the girl to continue. "Now I know that I wouldn't have met you if things weren't that way but…I've been nothing but trouble for you besides and…and it hasn't been so great for me either. Still, I had him change me, even if he told me I'd turn into a thoughtless killing machine. I don't' know why I didn't, don't ask. But…but when he bit me…it was…disgusting. The pain coursing through my body froze my blood in its tracks. It burned me and…" she took a breath, "It felt like I was being consumed by the inside out by some evil thing and he just stood there, laughing with his buddies." She spat.

"When I came too…he was walking away and I told him goodbye. I didn't see him again for twenty years. In the first ten years, I generally went about killing things and drinking blood. It wasn't pleasant, but it was nowhere near as…animal as what my dad was doing. It wasn't until I was resorting to killing children that I realized I was a monster. I spent the next ten years learning how to eat red. By that time, the human population was next to zero. I was having a hard time finding colors as it was and then I'm going back to the diner I was living in to eat the last of my ketchup and fries and there sits my dad, chomping on my fries and cavorting about like no time has passed." Angry tears were streaming down her face.

It wasn't about the fries, it was about the sheer neglect that her father had subjected her to. Leaving a five year old freshly born demon to fend for herself in a world filled with terror, destruction, nuclear holocaust, and murderers was entirely unacceptable. _I mean…for shit's sake people tried to kill me just as soon as they laid eyes on me! It's not like the other vampires gave us a good name! I was five…five!_ Marceline shook her head of the thought, deciding it better to keep the attempts on her five-year-old self from the princess.

"Anyway he played it off and…I kind-of…well I kind-of rampaged. Which is how all the demons ended up back in the Night-O-Sphere and why I contracted the 'You Cannot Leave the Night-O-Sphere' law with the Cosmic Owl. Granted it took a lot of blood, guts, and a couple hundred years or so but…but it got done." She breathed heavily, wiping away at the age in her eyes. The age she hides so well, the experiences she keeps so wonderfully hidden. No one really needed to know all the gory details of what a young Marceline went through. Honestly, they were so horrendous and scarring, she surprised she survived a decent being at all.

Bubblegum, who had kept her silence very well, couldn't help but blurt, "What about the Lich though?"

Marceline's eyes darkened and her mind ran away from her again. She shook. "The lich is a story for another time…" she replied ominously.

Bubblegum looked at her and scowled slightly. "Marci you…you told me what happened but…I mean to ask…how…how did you feel about it all?" she asked, cringing away slightly from the vampire, who was not fond of sharing emotions.

"How did it feel?" She scoffed, and before she knew it, confessions were flying out the door. "Well…to have the only father figure you've ever known neglect you felt like…like he had ripped a piece of me out. I didn't even know what I had done wrong," She hiccoughed sobs from her body, "and when I figured out that my very _existence_ was what was wrong it was like this burning, heat wave wrapped over my brain. I was so angry and I just…killed…everything. And then he comes back all hunky-dory as though I'm fine and we're fine and…I just wanted to kill him." She gasped out. "I wanted to kill him."

"Instead, I sent him and all his kind back where they came from, so I could avoid him for eternity. But at that point I had responsibilities and duties and…it just felt so…feels so…" She searched for words. "Have you ever loved someone who hasn't loved you back? It feels like you are doing everything, _everything_ right and better than you do it for anyone else and working for their approval and love but no matter what you do, you can't make them love you. It's like falling into a pit, and reaching for them, and them not even noticing you're falling. It this happy-sad blackness. You love them so, so much but they just…cant or wont or don't love you back. That is how I felt, feel, and will always feel, I think, about Hunson Abadeer." Marceline confessed.

As much as she hated to admit it, carrying around junk like that for over a thousand years can really have its toll on you, and getting it off her chest was like taking a breath of fresh air after being buried alive. So she cried quietly to herself as warm pink arms encased her in a hug and soft eyes cried with her.

"Did you mean what you said, Marceline? That…that you would have him kill you if you could do it all again?" Bubblegum whispered, scared that Marceline was so unhappy with the way her life had gone that she wished it never to have happened at all.

"I do. And I'm sorry that I do but…over a thousand years I've been alive and it hasn't been easy, not for one second. I don't…I can't…" She sighed, having a hard time trying to explain her feelings. "I would not wish my life upon any other living being. So why would I ever wish it upon myself?" she said quietly.

Bubblegum cried and clung to Marceline with desperation. "But if you…I wouldn't have ever known you! I can't imagine…I don't want to think about that…"

Marceline wrapped her arms around bubblegum and laid them both down on the bed. "No matter what I wish could have happened, I have no doubts that what did happen, was what should have happened." She said softly.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

Marceline tilted a pink chin away from her neck so she could look the princess in the eyes. "Bubblegum, I have never been so sure in a thousand years, that here, with you, is where I am meant to be and meant to stay. If I hadn't been bitten, I would have never known you, and I am so sure that that would have been entirely against the universe's plans because I was made this way for you and you were made your way for me. I was just made a little bit earlier. After all, what's a thousand years in the grand scheme of things?" she said lightly, hoping to life the princess spirits.

"But…you'd change it if you could…"

Marceline exhaled and scowled. "But I can't. And ideally? I would have been born the same year as you with the same mortality as you. I'm not saying I wouldn't want to meet you, I couldn't imagine a worse fate. But if I could go back to my five-year-old self, a person with no knowledge of the amazing and lovely Princess Bubblegum, I would change my choice. And demons would have run amuck and the world would have been worse off than it was but…I can't wish this life upon myself twice…I just…I don't think I could."

Bubblegum, tears still staining her eyes looked at the reflectivity in Marceline, who was looking out at the moon like an old friend. "You're the greatest hero the world has ever known, and no one knows two shakes about it. There wouldn't be an Ooo or a candy kingdom or anything without you and no one even knows it. And for the record…I think you would save the world over and over again and make the same choice."

The vampire looked at her. "The greatest hero, huh?" she asked playfully. _She's probably right about the same choice thing anyway…_

Bubblegum nodded once with conviction, fire in her eyes. "Yes."

Marceline looked at her in faux skepticism. "Better than Finn and Jake?"

Bubblegum giggled, the damper of their previous conversation melting away at Marceline's playfulness as she cuddled into the older girl. "So much better."

It was promised to be so with a kiss.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**So I haven't been feeling too math lately so all my sadstuffs went into this chapter from _BlueLarva _who wanted Marci discussing how she became a vampire with Bubblegum.**

**PLEASE REVIEW AND SUGGEST!**

**Next one will be severely less depressing, I promise. ALSO...if 'Burning Low' is PB confessing her love for Finn and not some whacked-out freaky-deaky thing involving FP being too whatever for Finn or some other junk, I'm completely ignoring it. I think PB should just be scared she'll lose Finn saving her kingdom from all the chizz that happens there. She is TOTALLY not in love with him. Seriously. Seriously.**

**-JD**


	29. Croak

Chapter 29: Croak

Marceline didn't know how she had lost track of the time. Honestly, it wasn't as though she hadn't been paying attention. _How could I not pay attention to something like this? I knew my time was limited just…time always seemed to drag or fly or move of its own accord but I always, always paid attention, but now?_ Still, here she was, completely having lost track of time. _How could I have been so careless? So frivolous? _Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over. She didn't fight them.

"Marceline…" Came a soft voice. It was that kind, caring, stupid voice she was pained to hear. It acknowledged the end, sat happily by its side, accepted it. The tears fell, staining her cheeks. _Stupid Marceline…stupid vampire! You knew better! You always knew better than to get involved with mortals! What happened to you, Queen of the Heartless? _The voice came again. "Marceline…" It was sad, but not for itself. For the Queen. A Queen of two completely opposite kingdoms.

Marceline fought for her words. "D-don't," She wracked. "W-why are you–are you doing this? You d-don't h-have to go!" True, she had known this day was coming. The Princess (Queen) had had her croak dream and everything was happening just that way. There was never any denying the inevitable (or the Cosmic Owl). Shaky breaths ravaged the vampire's body as she looked down at the bed. Looked down at the hand she held.

Princess (Queen) Bubblegum was pale pink. It had happened with age. But Marceline had aged with her, and no matter what, the well-worn and kind face was always (always) the most beautiful thing in the world. The bed was the same as it had been for eighty years. Ever since the princess was five. Everything was a brightly polished pink as ever. Everything except an ever-paling Bubblegum. "Marceline…" She said quietly.

"No!" The vampire yelled. "I–I know you can live longer…for forever if you want! You think I don't know about your weirdo candy-biomass thing? You think I don't know? I know! I know you could stay with me if you wanted to!" The vampire yelled through tears. Marceline had aged into beauty. She had never really physically gotten older than twenty-ish until she met Bubblegum and aged with her. With her age, came the noble show of wisdom that shined through not only her eyes, but every inch of her being. She embraced her age for the first time and acted the Queen she was. While Bubblegum had paled, Marceline had remained vibrant. Her hair ever-silky, her skin ever-smooth. It wasn't something she could change. It was how she would have aged normally. If she were a human. _If I were human I'd be dead. And if I became human again I could die happily next to Bubblegum. _She cursed her five-year-old self. She cursed her father. She cursed the Cosmic Owl. She cursed the humans who ended their own existence. She cursed her immortality.

"Marceline…" Bubblegum said lightly, and the vampire understood. _It's her time. It's her time and I will never have one._ The thought shook her. There was silence in the air.

"I could go with you." The vampire whispered. "I could. I could walk out into the sun and just–just…go with you. What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do? It's not fair…it's not fair! Why? Why are you leaving me?" The last question was directed at the world, whom she blamed entirely for the soon-to-be loss of Princess (Queen) Bonnibel Bubblegum.

Bubblegum shook her head. "It's my time." She said simply. "And I suppose…I suppose you'll just go on living as ever. And life is never fair. Why didn't you see that, Marceline?"

Marceline hiccupped a depressed laugh. "W-Well, little one…s-sometimes people…older people, can't see the simple things…because we think too much. And I am around as old as they come," She hated herself for it. "…so nothing seems so simple anymore."

Bubblegum smiled softly at her, reminded of a time that seemed oh-so long ago to her. "Won't you tell me a story?"

Marceline breathed out her sobs. Trying her best (and failing) at staying composed. _She's dying._ Marceline knew how the dream went. She knew this was practically it. She could deny the princess her request and it wouldn't happen but…when could she ever deny Bubblegum anything? "O-Of c–" she tried to control herself. "–course, my Princess." So she started.

"O-once upon a time, there was a little girl who was afraid of monsters. And…and she met one, one day, a very long time ago for her. A lifetime ago. But…but to the monster, j-just the blink of an eye. And the girl was so afraid at first. And the monster thought she was so silly. There she was, a girl no more than five, in a cave, so, so far away from home. But the monster calmed her and took her back, under much silly demand and pomp and circumstance." Bubblegum giggled.

"Well…they got back, and the girl–who was so afraid of monsters–decided to…decided to become best friends with one." She managed before taking a few breaths. Bubblegum squeezed lightly at her hand. "And the monster thought it so strange. Thought the girl so strange. B-but they became best friends anyway. For years, they had adventures and shenanigans and…and just everything. And the girl was never afraid. Not once."

Time passed and…the girl grew. The monster stayed the same. The monster would always stay the same. And-and the silly girl decided she was in love. Such a foolish thing to do, really. Fall in love with a monster…" Marceline breathed a laugh. Bubblegum continued to smile, as she had done the entire story. "Well in not a bit of time…the monster realized that she was in love too. Such a foolish thing to do…fall in love…wh–when you're a monster. But still…it happened and…for a while they were in love." Marceline choked out the last word and shook her head, unable to continue.

But the soft plea of "Don't stop…don't you know this is my favorite story?" pulled the words from her.

"W-well…one day…I guess…I-I mean…well the girl found out that…that her best friend–her lover–really was a monster. Or at least…came from a-a place full of them. But the girl wasn't afraid…she was never afraid. Not of her monster. She was afraid of…of where the monster came from and…and the monster knew that. But when the girl…wh-…when the girl called her out on it um…even though the monster understood…this girl was so sure, so confident…and the monster left. The monster left and stayed away for a very long time. A very long time. And they both were very sad. But still…they were in love. They never did stop being in love."

Marceline nodded and smiled down at Bubblegum. "The monster spent a long time trying to convince herself otherwise. Lying to herself and…the girl spent a long time hurting. And when you spend a long time hurting…it turns into…it-it turns into anger. And the monster knew. And the monster understood. Two years they'd…they'd been apart and…for two years more they…f-fought and argued and…and tried so hard…so hard to hate each other. But…but one stupid day…a stupid Door Lord…took something…valuable from the girl and…and came through the monster's house.

"The monster didn't know…didn't know what was missing for the girl…but knew what was missing from herself and…and if getting that thing back would make the girl happy, she would help. Because she missed making the girl happy." She paused. "It was so stupid. It started just a-another antagonizing song and then…and then it wasn't. Then it was the truth and…and the girl knew. And the girl understood. Now for the record…the monster…the monster never meant to sing that song. But it was the…the….the best mistake she ever made."

Marceline took a couple of cleansing breaths. The sun began to set. "The monster wanted to leave, just as she had before because…because all her carefully constructed lies had just…unwoven…in the course of one song. She wrecked her place and was...was leaving. But then, a knock at her door stopped her. It was far too polite…to be anyone else. And the monster knew it was the girl. Who asked her to stay. And you see…the monster never could deny the girl anything." Marceline joked. And they shared a small laugh.

"Time passed and…and and the monster thought it was okay. But…but a while later…she found out the girl didn't. And she gave the monster…she gave the monster something she'd been after for years. And it wasn't a grungy old teddy bear. The girl apologized. Such a strange thing to do…apologize to a monster. And with the apology…came the silent request for a second chance. But the monster was…cruel. She…she shielded herself from this girl who was so, completely, hopelessly in love. But one day…in the rain…the girl found the monster who…who had been thinking, as she had lie there, a-about her happiness. And how it was…decidedly lacking.

"The monster…tried so hard to be cruel. To stop the girl from…from trying to change anything. But…she was in love. And that day…again…the two were in love. People didn't like the monster very much…but…but the girl decided…well she decided she didn't care about people. They were in love. And that's what mattered. And for years and years they were in love. They had adventures. They got into shenanigans. They Married. They had kids…" She said with a sarcastic bit of distaste before smiling through tears. "They ruled a kingdom. A kingdom with no king. And they were…so, so happy. And…" She lost all semblance of composure as she cried into Bubblegum's hand. "And they're still…still i-i-in love t-t-to this…this d-day."

Bubblegum smiled so, so weakly. "I want to have a love like that…I want a love so absolute that nothing else matters; even what others might say or do to try and stop it."

"If anyone deserves undying love…it's you." Marceline whispered. "B-but I wish…I wish it would die with you. I don't know what I'm going to do…"

Bubblegum looked at her. "Be young again, Marceline." And the vampire knew it wasn't a suggestion, but a request, so she aged back down. And she sat in her chair. And she held Bubblegum's hand. And she cried. "Marci…why are you crying?"

She didn't stop as she looked at the pink girl, who was young again with her. She could see it in aged eyes. "It…it's nothing Bonni…just…my dad ate my fries again." She lied.

"What a patoot."

Marceline couldn't help but sigh a smile. "Y-yeah. But you're here, Little One…so I'll be okay." Bubblegum nodded.

"Sugar, I'm sleepy."

"It's okay Bonni. You can sleep."

"But…but I don't think I want to. Not without you."

"Don't you remember? You and I are going on an adventure tonight…you…you sleep and…and I'll wake you up when…when we get there."

"You will? Promise?"

"I…I promise…I promise Bonni."

"Marci? I love you."

"I…I…I love you too."

When silence swept the room, the door creaked open, and two candy people, both in their sixties, but looking in their thirties, walked in. Half immortal DNA will do that to you. Marceline looked up. "Hello little prince…princess."

The man looked at the girl in the chair. "M-Ma?" He asked, having never seen the vampire so young. The girl only nodded.

"Is…is mom…" The woman asked. Marceline nodded again. A Man walked in.

"Marceline…I'm so sorry…" He began, voice well worn and body in shape. "When…when Jake died I–"

"Don't you talk to me about Death, Finn Human!" She exploded, standing from her chair to encase him in her fury. "I have seen more Death than you ever will, boy! Now get out! You're a fucking child. So was she." She sat back down and shook her head. "You all are…" She cursed her immortality.

Finn nodded sadly, and left to be with the candy people below. Silence passed. "Ma…ma you have to tell them…" The prince said.

Marceline nodded, still staring down at Bubblegum. "I know…I know but I don't want to because…because then it's real. Such a stupid thing to do…fall in love, and have kids…with a mortal. Such a stupid thing…" She released her grip on Bubblegum slowly, before making her way to the balcony, where the candy people stood below.

She took steadying breaths. "I know…I know that many of you don't like me. But I ask…in the name of Queen Bonnibel Bubblegum, f-for the animosity…to be put on hold…until I have put my wife to rest." She nodded and went back inside.

* * *

><p>The funeral was small; the celebration of Queen Bubblegum's life was not. It lasted all week, and at the end, Marceline renounced her throne over the Candy Kingdom and gave it to her children to share. She was going home.<p>

When she got there, all she wanted to do was collapse on a bed and stay there for eternity. Before she could even find a bed, however, a small, elfish demon scurried up to her. "Miss Marceline, Miss Marceline!" Is skittered. "The Cosmic owl has been calling nonstop for a week! You have seventeen messages and twenty-one missed calls from him, Miss Marceline!"

Too exhausted to be angry with the little demon (who was just doing its job, after all) she said, "Doesn't he know…I had more important things to do?" She would have cried, had she tears left. Still, the vampire monarch of the Night-O-Sphere went to her desk to get the phone. She passed by her father, who looked like he didn't know what to say, and Marshall, who put a hand on her shoulder briefly in silent support. The Night-O-Sphere was quiet, save for her ringing phone.

She picked it up. "Speak…What?...What do you _mean_ she's unhappy! Look, bird brain, if you sent her to some lame-ass dead zone like number thirty-six I'm gonna go up there and wring you feathered neck, you get me? It will not be pleasant and–…what? … N-no, no that can't be right, it's not–it's not how that works. …She shouldn't remember...she what?...Visits?..." Marceline, to say the least, was at a complete and utter loss for words.

* * *

><p>A sly voice permeated the summer air. "So…zone eighty-seven, huh? I didn't even know they went that high."<p>

Bubblegum turned around. "M-Marceline?" She asked, utterly shocked.

"Y'know, Bonni…you aren't really supposed to remember that." She said, floating closer to the pink girl, who was young again. The sun beat down warmly on her vampire flesh, and she smiled in the heat for the first time in over a thousand years. After all, it wasn't the real sun, but one put into this zone. A breeze moved the grass.

"How could I forget you, you wicked thing?" Bubblegum asked. "But…but you…you shouldn't be here. You didn't…you aren't…dead…are you?"

The vampire laughed. "Don't you remember Bonni? I croaked a long time ago."

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><p><strong>*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*I HAVE A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! *_*_*_*_*_*_*_*<strong>

**For the next few chapters I will be doing ONE request for each of the following characters from outside of PB and Marci's point of view:**

**BMO, Peppermint Butler, Hunson Abadeer, Finn + Jake, and...MARCI's MOM!**

**You may submit your normal PB+Marci suggestions with these five. You can submit one suggestion for each of the specials, or just one suggestion for a special or anywhere in between HOWEVER...only one suggestion for each special will be chosen so make it good! Now bad your regularly scheduled:**

**A/N**

**So remember how I said this next chapter wasn't going to be depressing? Sorry dudes...I lied. This one is aging/ final goodbye as requested by _TheWatchmaKer _and _SilentHill_. I was actually just going to end it where they said their last 'I love you's, but I like them having a happy ending.**

**Please review and suggest!**

**Also, just in case you're wondering, Marci can visit PB's dead zone whenever she pleases, just like she did Ooo. It made me happy I thought of it. If you wanted a permanently sad ending, sorry to disappoint, but I actually really like the way this turned out. Emotionally draining chapter is emotionally draining, but I like it.**

**-JD**


	30. Bad to the Circuit

Chapter 30: Bad to the Circuit

She had come back and kicked Finn and Jake out. BMO was okay with this. He considered himself a go-with-the flow kind of robot. He could remember way, way back when he and the floating lady lived in the tree together with no animals. The animals were afraid of her. He had been very okay with the floating lady. She had bought him his little skateboard right before she left, and treated him very well. Then she was just gone, and he was left in the big tree alone. She had told him he was the only one guaranteed to stay for a long, long time. She never said she would do the same.

By the time she came back, he was an expert at the skateboard.

He walked down into the main room only to find her floating there munching on some strawberries. He emoted, and went ahead and smiled, letting out the exclamation of "Floating lady! Ave you come back to stake claim on the tree? But then…where are Finn and Jake?"

Marceline looked over and smiled her toothy smile. "BMO! Hey, baby; how've you been?" She swooped down and picked him up, placing him at eye-level on the table in front of her. "I am indeed back to stake claim. Finn and Jake left to find a new place."

BMO supposed they had forgotten to take him along. It seems whenever the two went out, they forgot to take him along. "Do they forget me because I am not a real boy?" He asked the floating lady, who happened to e floating in a sitting position above the couch.

He watched as the floating lady became pensive. "Y'know what? I think they could think you're part of the house. I mean…before them, you were with me. And then they found the house and there you were. They don't take into account your feelings." She nodded.

The floating lady had never done that. She had taken him to soccer and played every new game he developed with him (not on him) and taught him to secret attack. She would tuck him in at night when he went into sleep mode and do many nice things Finn and Jake did not. The floating lady kept him safe. "But…I am a robot. I do not feel."

The floating lady laughed. "BMO, you feel more than any other robot device I have ever met."

He took this as a great compliment, and they played video games together. Then, she left and Finn and Jake came back. He missed the floating lady.

* * *

><p>The next time he saw the floating lady, he had wanted to ask how she could float, as it was against the laws of physics, and therefore evil. He could not think of the floating lady as evil, as she always said hello to him when she decided to show up for the movie night. Finn and Jake began to use him as a camera as the big warning had deterred them from watching pre-recorded movies. The floating lady never cared about the big warning, and BMO thought himself all the more daring and bad-to-the-circuit for all the lawless behavior the two of them had partaken in together. He felt much cooler with the floating lady.<p>

After an incredibly unproductive and argument-prone filming process in which Finn and Jake put too much pressure on his internal hard-drive, he put together a compilation he had made of the two of them getting along. He sang a song and made a small joke at the end of it. After, the floating lady had come up to him.

"You did a very good job with that movie, BMO."

He clapped and jumped a couple times. "Thank you, floating lady. Finn and Jake were doing the fighting, and it was making me overheat, but then I figured out a movie of my own, and sang a song, and everything was hunky-dory."

Marceline smiled at the little robot. "That's right, BMO. You saved the day!" And she was gone again. No one made him smile like the floating lady did.

He decided that whether floating was evil or not, he would like the floating lady.

* * *

><p>It was a long time before he saw the floating lady again, and it was under very sad circumstances involving a yellow thief-man. His favorite controller had been taken, and the yellow thief-man had gone through the floating lady's house. She followed them out to the big face door.<p>

BMO like the floating lady, and he like Princess Bubblegum. He did not like them so much when they were together. There was much fighting, arguing, and mysterious glancing between the two. BMO had his suspicions about the two of them as a unit, but he kept to himself. They fought like Finn and Jake fought only there was a certain more-ness about it. It made him sad that the floating lady and Princess did not get along like two pretty ladies should. But maybe it was that the floating lady wasn't so much lady-like as the Princess.

He glowed at his amount of insight, and thought he should be a detective.

Then the Princess took his face off, not knowing how ticklish his circuits could be, and the floating lady sang a very sad song. Or was it a very angry song? BMO sometimes had trouble distinguishing those two emotions. And he was never very good at knowing what the floating lady was thinking. Heck, she had never told him her name, and though Finn and Jake often called her 'Marceline,' she would always to him be the floating lady.

To break tension, Finn suggested noodles, and the floating lady brought back a portable stove to cook them on. BMO didn't get food, but it seemed as though Finn eating the brick of noodles was odd in some way.

"Come here, baby," she said to him. He walked over and she plugged in her stove to him as he began to heat it up. No one seemed to notice she had called him 'baby,' but that was fine as the floating lady always made him smile. He was glad he was self-recharging as the water boiled and noodles cooked.

After, the princess tried to calculate a song on him, and it didn't go so well. Floating lady, Jake, and Princess all left, after the floating lady spit on the princess. BMO deduced some understanding that they had been close, _very_ close at one point or another.

Finn's song didn't include him.

When he got his controller back, he did a little cowboy thing that made the floating lady smile. When the Princess got her shirt back, the floating lady blushed. Finn and Jake did not seem to pick up on the intimacy of the exchange. He wondered how something could be so stupid. He could not gather why the floating lady had followed them, as she had not been missing anything he could see, however, she chased them all away. BMO began to walk home after everyone had dashed far too quickly for his little legs into the surrounding areas.

But the floating lady came back.

She smiled at him and picked him up, placing him on her shoulder as she began to fly him home. "I'm glad you got your controller back, BMO."

He hugged it tight to his body. "I am glad you did not forget about me, floating lady. It is a long way to walk."

* * *

><p>He never understood why Finn and Jake did not believe him when he said the Princess and the floating lady were in love. He could not compute certain things, but that thing was as plain as a nose on a face.<p>

* * *

><p>BMO was hearing strange noises in the tree. Noises he normally did not hear unless Jake and Lady were alone, or if it was just Finn alone with Bubblegum's hair. But both Finn and Jake were gone, and no one was in the house. He squinted his eyes and slowly climbed up the ladder to Finn's room. Peeking over, he saw the princess and the floating lady canoodling. He blushed.<p>

"Marceline what if Finn comes back?" The princess breathed.

"You're the one who was getting handsy on the way back to the Candy Kingdom."

BMO knew where this was going. They were going to bed wrestle. He went outside to kick his soccer ball, giving tem privacy. He knew it was not okay to stay as the floating lady had told him bed wrestling was for two people to do alone. The floating lady had taught him a lot of things without being mean, even though he had watched when her and Ash had been bed wrestling. Ash wanted to make him explode, but floating lady sat him down and explained to him it was private. Ash was a real patoot.

BMO had been right all along. The floating lady was nice and the Princess was nice and they were nice together. Silly brained Finn and Jake were just too loopy to see it. He smiled, happy that the floating lady wasn't so sad any more. She was very good to him.


	31. Abadeer's Legacy

Chapter 31: Abadeer's Legacy

Peppermint Butler had sold his soul to the harbingers of death. He had done it at a young age and, upon reflection, the little candy man had realized that it had been a huge mistake. True, it had given him the power to cross the bridge between worlds, but he hadn't read the fine print. When he had sold his soul to the Cosmic Owl, Ghost King, Death, and Hunson Abadeer, he'd done it without hesitation or remorse. He'd signed his name, his life, his very existence to these beings. Soon after, he realized he'd done it all so he could be their personal servant. To wait upon them whenever need be.

Now, his soul had been divvied between three common place rulers of the dead, and a Demon King of torture and ruin. The Cosmic owl and Ghost King rarely called upon his services. And as for Death, he treated Peppermint Butler as an equal, a friend, a companion in a realm of the dead, rather than a servant. Sure, he brought the skull tea and whatever else he desired, but he was treated with dignity and respect.

Hunson Abadeer was a horrible being. Dragging him around as his caddy in golf games, kicking him, terrifying him, and making him get food and beverage and demon women and all sorts of terrible and unmentionable things. Peppermint Butler was a good man. However, soul very much sold, the essence of each ruler of death rubbed off on him. And Hunson Abadeer was very much evil, very much cruel, and very much a demon. Suffice to say, when Peppermint Butler was at home waiting upon his princess, he was glad to be free of the realm of the Night-O-Sphere. He didn't know that that realm would plague him for many years. He was beginning to get strange cravings, and he felt himself falling further and further into darkness. He was sure his aura would frighten anyone away.

Still, the little man was happy with his Princess. Reading to her and putting her to bed, doing all the things entrusted to him by the former King and Queen of the Candy Kingdom. All of that changed when, at five, the little princess went missing and returned with _her_. Peppermint Butler would have recognized that face anywhere. The face of demon. The face of a monster. The face of a cruel and heartless master and user. The face of Hunson Abadeer. Suffice to say Peppermint Butler was having none of that. There was no way he was going to let his foolish mistake corrupt the life of one of the sweetest candy people he'd ever met. He was entrusted with the safety of the Princess, ad he would do all in his power to ensure that the demon spawn floating before him would stay out of her life completely.

* * *

><p>He most definitely did not expect the little princess to have taken so fondly to something so evil. Something that had come from his master. She was a vampire, for goodness sake! A blood-sucking, mischief-causing, ruffian and hooligan who would use any opportunity to take advantage of those weaker than herself. And in this realm of existence, in this world, everyone was weaker than her. <em>Marceline the Vampire Queen<em>, he scoffed at the title. Queen of what? A bunch of wild hungry, blood-starved animals that were locked away in cages. Demonic forces in case the Night-O-Sphere ever went to war. They were mindless, savage things with jutting angles and bones, teeth falling out of their skulls, saliva dripping in front of them. Fingers too long and nails sharp clawed at the metal bars that kept them at bay. Rows and rows of them, leftovers from a crueler time and a crueler existence, lined a hall in the Night-O-Sphere. They were filthy animals who needed to be put down and this _Queen_, no matter how intelligent, deserved to go down with him.

His anger seethed as the beast returned time and time again. How dare she interact with Princess Bubblegum? She was a monster. She should be chased down and tied to a post to burn in the sun. He didn't much pay attention that the Vampire Queen came so consistently at the Princess' insistence. For all he knew, she could have brainwashed the little one into these thoughts and feelings. After all, she could do such things.

* * *

><p>She had the nerve to defile the Princess. He ground his teeth in disgust of her as he entered the room slowly, not caring to notice how happy Bubblegum was or how she seemed to float along on a cloud of joy. "Hello, miss. Are you all right? I thought I heard strange noises last night…was that ruffian here?" He could only imagine what that monster had done to his young princess. If Hunson Abadeer was anything to go by, he was lucky Bubblegum was alive at all and not disemboweled and dead on her bed.<p>

Bubblegum scowled, her cheeks reddening slightly. "I am fine, Peppermint. And how many times must I tell you not to call Marceline names? Besides, she wasn't here last night. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get ready. I'll be down in a bit."

He knew she was lying. He could sense her essence in the room, on the princess. It was evil. It permeated through the walls and through the floors and through souls, just as Abadeer had done to him. While he hated to see his princess upset, he couldn't help but inwardly scoff at her taking to the creature. A creature, she was, and nothing more. Nothing more. Nothing more. He couldn't tell if he wanted to yell it out, or if he was convincing himself. Still, sticking true to his duty, he said, "Yes, Princess…but be careful. Your people might not take too kindly to one of her kind being close to their princess." And he scurried out the room.

* * *

><p>Again, she had come in late, too late for the princess, and he was determined to shoo her away. She had floated in like she owned the place, and he was none too pleased. "Excuse me!" He hollered with venom at the floating girl, "And where do you think you're going?" he seethed, stepping in front of her.<p>

"To see Bubblegum, okay? Don't play dumb, Peppermint, you know why I'm here." She replied with a sigh.

He puffed up his little chest. "Yes! Yes I know why you're here, Marceline Abadeer! You're here to take advantage of her! You are nothing but a demon's spawn and a creature only worthy of being put down!"

Marceline growled low in her throat. "Look, Peppermint, that isn't even my last name! I don't know what you're issue is with me but-"

"Issue?" He yelled, "Issue? You're a blood sucking demon! A monster! You're over a thousand years old and have killed and maimed hundreds no doubt! And if that weren't issue enough, you're your father's daughter! His legacy!"

Marceline's eyes flared red briefly. She was trying to keep her temper. "So all this amounts to my Father then? You hate me for him? Awfully biased of you, Peppermint." She spat, "After all, we all aren't like our parents. I could have told him of you and he could have called you away to serve him for eternity. To torture you for eternity. To do whatever he pleased. But no. So tell me, Peppermint, what have I ever done to you? To the Princess? I've done nothing wrong. Now let me pass."

"Absolutely not! Nothing good could ever come of Hunson Abadeer! Besides, it is far too late and you may not see the Princess now!" He yelled, blocking out the fact that she could have indeed done that, and hadn't for all these years.

Marceline lost her temper, as usual. Flaring up and hair flying wildly, Marceline exclaimed, "Look buddy! I've just come back from a tough few days in the lumping Night-O-Sphere, okay? I told Bonni I'd be here today and she'll be up, now let me pass little man!"

Peppermint puffed up a little. "I know what you savage things are like! You most certainly will not be seeing her Highness tonight! Come back tomorrow morning! When the sun can burn the rest of life right out of you!"

This made Marceline furious, though she held back a transformation. "IT isn't like I need your permission now do I?" Marceline's voice echoed inexplicably ominously through the hall, sending chills up both Peppermint and Bubblegum's spines. Marceline floated up, curling over the much shorter man in front of her. "Let me pass. Now." She demanded threateningly. Peppermint gulped audibly.

"F-fine!" The candy man said, and let Marceline pass.

* * *

><p>He hadn't known the Princess had eavesdropped that night. He hadn't known what it would lead her to. The demon had gone. He was happy. Bubblegum should have been happy as well. It was the right thing. The good thing. Wasn't it? He heard a yell and a loud thump coming from the Princess room and Peppermint Butler went running into her room, fearing the worst. Fearing the vengeance of a monster upon his princess. He found a fuming Bubblegum staring at a book that lay next to the door. "Princess?" The man asked cautiously.<p>

"This book! Who wrote it! Where does the information come from! Tell me right now, Peppermint!" She yelled at the little man.

He shied back slightly, having never seen the princess angry at anything before like she was now. "It-it-it's widely regarded as the truth by Ooo." That was right. It was regarded as truth, and he had never seen anything or heard anything to contradict it.

She jumped on his words. "Regarded as the truth? _Regarded_ as the truth? What the lump does that mean!"

He backed further away from the girl, who had taken a few menacing steps towards him. "W-Well I believe m-most of it to be h-he-hear-hearsay, Princess." He stammered out the word, fearing the wrath of his master for the first time in her life.

As he should have. Bubblegum exploded. "Hearsay? _Hearsay?_ You're telling me that all the information we have on this is _hearsay_and _regarded_ as the truth? It's a lumping gossip rag! Why was this sinister thing sitting in the non-fiction history section, Peppermint! Who in the name of Ooo put it there! Tell me right now so I can have them banished or strung up or something! Tell me!" She grabbed at the small man's collar and raised him high of the floor to face-level.

"I-I-I don't kn-know, Princess! Honestly! I-It's a-a-always been there!" He managed. She dropped him to the floor and threw the book at him.

"Take this filth and get out of my chambers!" she yelled at him. He scampered away with the book and she slammed the door behind him.

For six months the Princess was so sad and lost. Peppermint wondered if the banishment of Marceline really was for the best.

* * *

><p>It had been years since he had seen the Princess so happy. She was always smiling and seemed to float from room to room. He wondered why and, acting out of turn for once, he had asked.<p>

"Just an old friend, Peppermint." Came the princess' vague reply. But he knew then and there that the old friend was Marceline. He'd heard she was back in town for several years now, he just supposed that they had made up or some such. He felt so happy for his princess. Perhaps the vampire wasn't so bad after all. Still, he couldn't decide if he approved or not.

* * *

><p>Hunson Abadeer had called for him. "I heard through the grape vine that you have been causing my daughter much discomfort in Ooo."<p>

Peppermint ground his teeth at the patronizing tone. Hunson Abadeer may well be several thousand years old, but Peppermint was no child, nonetheless. "This is true, sir." He gritted.

The demon looked at him hard for a few moments. "Know that she is nothing like me, then." He said flippantly, and Peppermint found himself back in the Candy Kingdom an instant later.

* * *

><p>When the announcement was made, and he saw the look of love and adoration on Marceline's face directed at the Princess, he decided that Hunson Abadeer may have been right after all. And that while the man may have been the stuff of nightmares, Marceline the Vampire Queen was the stuff of his Princess' dreams. And that was good enough for him.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Peppermint's chapter. The Abadeer/Peppermint/Marceline dynamic was requested by _Blue Larva _and _That Weirdo_. Pretty satisfied with it, actually. May I just say, thank you for all the reviews and suggestions and love. It means a lot, particularly throughout my sporadic updates. Thank you all so much. **

**-JD**


	32. Gone Now

Chapter 32: Gone Now

**Part One**

He was surveying a city when he heard it. Among the torn and burning wreckage, crumbling, destroyed by itself, something ripped worse through the air. A child crying and screaming among the sounds of death the earth itself put forth. Alive! There was someone alive out there! Bulging pack of research and history laden on his back, Simon stumbled over rocks and debris to locate the noise. Pestering in the back of him mind, he heard a crumbly static voice whisper, _Who cares_, in a painfully carefree way. He paused a moment, yanking out his scrapbook and staring at pictures of himself, of the world as it used to be, of Betty. _My name is Simon Petrikov. I am an archaeologist and survivor. My Princess is lost and…I can't remember why. No! It was the crown. I'm surviving because of it, but I will find another way. My name is Simon Petrikov. My name is Simon Petrikov. My name is Simon Petrikov._

He shoved the book quickly back into his pack, pounding his fist on his skull, as if trying to hammer his past into place. _Oh but the crying!_ He scrambled further towards it. "Father!" it cried. _A girl…just a little girl… _"Father! Someone! Anyone!" He rounded the corner and realized it wasn't _just_ a little girl, but that didn't stop him from throwing his pack aside and sliding up next to her. She turned to him and whimpered, "Who are you? Are you here to hurt me too?"

Simon slowly placed his hands on the girl's bony shoulders in kindness. _She's far too thin…and the air is so wonderfully cold…_he blinked away the troubling thoughts of interference and smiled. "No, no, I…my name is Simon Petrikov and I'm…well…I _used_ to be an archaeologist. You know…collecting old tomes and such. Like my crown. My awesome crown." He patted at it against his hip before realizing what he was doing and trying again to shake the thoughts out of his mind. Still, the girl, _vampire_, looked at him in fear. His bones crackled as he stood up and looked around, whispering soft, "Wait here."

There, not too far off, was a toy store. He jogged over and plucked up the first pink teddy he could find before returning to the girl and giving her the play thing. As she turned back, the tears stopped, and as he handed her the toy, the brightest smile lit her face. He smiled back, and thought that if ice hadn't frozen his tears, he'd be crying. _Such a simple thing to bring such joy in such a disgusting time…_ "What's your name?" he inquired softly.

The small girl sniffled once, twice, before answering in a small voice that rang with strength. "Marceline." She looked at her stuffy, "And he'll be Hambo. I'll keep him forever."

Simon felt his heart break. "Well Marceline, you're going to come with me now, okay? I'll take care of you. I promise" He picked up his pack and held a hand down to the girl, who surveyed him for a moment, and took it. They walked off together.

* * *

><p>"Marceline!" He hollered, "Marceline!" he ran up towards their camp, the embers flickering against the permanent black sky. It had been about a month of travelling with Marceline and he did his best to care for her. As he neared, the girl squatted on all fours, sharp fingers digging into the ground. Simon approached with caution, holding out his find. "It's all right, Marceline, sweetie. It's okay. Look what I've got for you." Simon had known his time was running short to find Marceline some food before she went feral. It was getting harder and harder to find what she needed, but somehow, he always managed. He held out the dead squirrel with caution, as the girl was known to pounce.<p>

As she leapt at her food, sucking it dry of whatever blood it had left, he quickly divested himself of the sack he was holding and tossed it in her direction as she devoured. _Man that kid can really eat! _The crown fuzzed in the back of his mind, impressed. Simon placed his hands over his eyes and shook his head fervently. _No! No! If I didn't get her enough she'll eat me. I'm not impressed. It isn't funny. My name is Simon Petrikov. I'm an archaeologist! _His mind screamed. Looking up he pulled a piece of wood off the ground as the girl emerged from the sack. _Three squirrels and a rabbit. Three squirrels and a rabbit. It has to be enough. It has to!_

Simon didn't know if he could kill the girl, even if she attacked. Marceline licked her lips dry and smiled up at him. He heaved a sigh of relief. He took a couple steps towards her and hugged the girl.

"Thank you Simon. I'm sorry I scared you." She said, same as she always did after a long stint without food. But the woods were barren, and her kind of food was hard to come by.

"It's all right, little one." He muttered into her hair. Clutching her tightly. _Dude, why am I hanging around a kid? My princess should be around somewhere..._ He yanked back from Marceline abruptly and pulled out his scrap book. _Betty. Her name was Betty. Her name was Betty. Betty was my princess. _He stared at the photos he had of them together. "My name is Simon Petrikov." He muttered. _Simon is a loser name…you should be…a king or something!_ "No!" he yelled back at himself, his voice flying through the air, echoing off of nothing. "No; my name is Simon! Simon Petrikov!" He gripped his hair. _Suit yourself, four eyes…_ and the voice faded off again, leaving him to be himself.

"Simon…?" Marceline ventured, used to his outbursts, though not used to them being so violent.

He took a few deep breaths, composing himself before turning to her. "Yes, sweetie. It's okay. I'm okay now." He hugged her. She hugged back.

* * *

><p>Simon found it wise to avoid people when travelling with Marceline. Never mind how he came about the knowledge, but he knew better. In fact, Simon found it better to avoid people because of himself. <em>No…no not myself…because of him.<em> The crown had given itself a name. _Ice King. _Simon spat in his mind. It had been almost six months of travelling with Marceline and his condition was getting worse. His mind was ripping itself apart. As it was now, he had two trains of thought going at all times, and more and more, Marceline had taken to taking care of _him_. "Simon Petrikov. Simon Petrikov. Simon Petrikov." He murmured over and over, as though that would save his humanity, his identity.

His body had long ago begun to change. Getting rounder, thinner. His hair growing longer no matter how he cut it. His eyes growing beady, his nose growing long. Was he even human anymore? Not so long ago his clothes had ceased to fit him. Too tight on his body, too loose on his limbs. Marceline had found him a blue sheet. He's made a sort-of dress out of it. It matched his skin tone.

"Simon! Simon I found some canned noodles for you!" Marceline said, skipping back to him with a toothy smile on her face.

He looked up from his position of arms wrapped round crossed legs. "Thank you, Marceline dear." He said, before prying them open with an ice pick and slurping them away. Marceline sat off to the side playing with Hambo and watching the ever-moving smog. _Why does she keep calling me 'Simon'? That isn't who I am. I am the Ice King!_ He thought, glancing over at Marceline curiously. _Why does she keep calling me that?_ His glasses began hurting his eyes, so he took them off. _Glasses? I don't wear glasses…_ He looked over at Marceline again.

"Are you done eating mister archaeologist?" She giggled, noticing he hadn't even finished one can of the four.

"Archaeologist!" He yelled, thrusting himself up and pacing about wildly. "Archaeologist! I am an archaeologist! My name _is _Simon! Simon…Simon…Simon what? Simon who? And…Princess. I-I-I want a Princess…No! I want _my_ Princess! My princess, my princess…her name! She had a name! Any my name…my name is…my name is…my name is Simon! Simon, and I am an Ice King! –No! An archaeologist! Simon the archaeologist!" He turned madly to his pack and yanked out his scrap book, now more a diary of his growing insanity than anything. Turning to the first page, he read a clipping: _Professor Simon Petrikov Unearths Ancient Treasure. Silly man returns from expedition with a marginally exciting discovery. It was early morning that greeted the eyes of hard-drinking journalists and curious pigeons. The impromptu press conference was convened by professor of archaeology and bon vivant Simon Petrikov…_

He stared dumbly at the page. "Professor…I was a professor? No…no I'd remember that. My name is…is Simon Petrikov," He said, almost broken, "And I was a…a professor. Simon Petrikov."

A rustling to his side caused him to jump out of his reverie. Marceline inched forward, staring intently at him. _It's as though she can see my soul… _he ventured. Suddenly, behind her, there was a monster. Red and tentacled, it slumped it way around. "Marceline look out!" He screamed, grabbing her and hoisting her up and away from the demon.

"What? What?" she said in fear.

Simon turned to her. "You don't…you mean you can't see it?" he pointed towards the thing, putting Marceline down. "It's there! It's right _there!_" he shouted, pointing his finger angrily. A beam of some kind emitted itself from his finger and he screamed. "What the fuck was that?!" Marceline went over to investigate, walking right through the thing he was seeing.

"It was an ice beam." She said simply.

_It's 'cause I'm the Ice King, yo._ Simon screamed in anguish. Now more than ever, whenever the voice came, it hurt. He knew the alleviation would be to put the crown on, but he knew that if he did, he'd lose himself. "Simon! I! Am! Simon! Petrikov!" he clutched his head and fell to his knees, sobbing dry sobs. It began to snow.

Small hands wrapped around his body and he felt Hambo bump his back. "It's going to be alright Simon…" she whispered. "It's going to be all right."

* * *

><p>A year. He'd held out with this curse for a year and his lucidity was next to gone. He'd started wearing the crown a week ago.<p>

Surveying the area, he saw mountains in the distance. _Now that looks like a cool pad._ He thought to himself. Little feet scampered along the ground and he turned to see a little girl smiling up at him holding some noodles.

"Do I…know you?" He asked. _No way I know this kid…I'm too busy scoping out the babes for a kid. _The girl looked utterly shattered. Her eyes watered and tears spilled down her cheeks. "Oh no, no!" the Ice King said desperately. "Don't cry! I'm the Ice King. So now you know me so now you won't cry right? Right?" He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

The girl was full on crying now. He didn't know what to do. Gazing up at him with big watered eyes she asked, "S-Simon?"

He looked at her. The hope in her eyes fading. _Simon…Simon…that name seems so familiar…and the girl…_ The realization dawned on him in an instant. It made his head hurt. "Marceline!" he gasped, and she fell into him sobbing and clutching him desperately. "Oh Marceline I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do…whatever it is I did."

She shook her head and clung to him harder, crying herself to exhaustion. He lay down with her in comfort. "Sleep now little one." He whispered.

"Don't ever leave me…I love you daddy…"

The words shook him and he eased away from her. Pulling out bits and pieces of his journal—a picture of her here, a page of that there, and wrote her a note:

_Marceline…sometimes it feels like just you and me in the wreckage of the world…and that must be so confusing for you. I'm losing myself, Marceline. You understand that, don't you? And it scares me to think that you may lose me as well…I'm alive because of this magic crown but…but it hasn't saved me. It hasn't saved Simon Petrikov. It's taken his body. Turned him into something else. I want to protect you more than anything. I do…I want to save you but I can't even manage to save myself. I'm slipping away. And when I came back you were so sad, crying, frowning. I don't know what I said or what I did, but I pray you forgive me and trust that it wasn't me. It was the crown, Marceline, I swear it. I wanted to save you. I wanted to save us. I beg you to forgive me for whatever I do when you are no longer in my memory. When I don't remember you. I-_

The Ice King looked up from the note and frowned. "Now who wrote this thing?" he took the pages and tossed them haphazardly into a pile of papers. "And what's with all this old junk?" He simply shrugged and picked it all up. "Huh…" he mumbled, "cute kid." And he flew off to the mountains.

Simon wished he'd had more time. Just a few seconds more. Just to write that he loved his little girl as well.

* * *

><p>"Father! Father!" she cried into the wreckage. After she'd recovered, Marceline had walked after her father. Stumbling her way through city and town and forest. This city was cold, so very cold. She wasn't hungry, but she couldn't remember eating. She'd met people on her way, but they were long gone now. <em>Did I eat them?<em> Her young mind wondered, not fully understanding her burden. She began to cry at the thought, at the lack of direction, at the lack of a father. "Someone! Anyone!" she gasped, clutching her wee arms around herself as though it would take the place of someone who cared. Suddenly, a bluish man stumbled around the corner and tossed his pack aside, approaching her.

She shied away, despite it being exactly what she was calling out for. _Stupid, stupid, stupid head! You should have stayed quiet! Stayed safe! People don't like you! _The man made to put his arms upon her and she whimpered, "Who are you? Are you here to hurt me too?"

But he wasn't there to harm her. The man was kind and gently and, albeit a little bizarre, she felt safe with him. He handed her a teddy bear and promised to keep her safe. _Simon. Simon Petrikov. I like him…_

* * *

><p>She pulled her head from the sack as if waking up. <em>Why was I in a sack? And why does Simon have a stake?<em> She licked her lips and tasted sweet, delicious blood. The understanding washed over her. _I must have been very hungry then…_ Simon approached her and hugged her. She apologized and thanked him. _I should thank him always. For everything. He's so good to me._ As the thoughts tumbled mature through her young head, he abruptly pulled away, and she realized he was having another crown episode. She stared at him, full of concern as he flipped through his scrap book and she realized all at once how lucky she was.

_I'm cursed sure…but I'm myself. Even if I wasn't I couldn't remember if I wasn't I'm so young. Simon though…Simon is forgetting himself completely. _She stared on as he mumbled to himself again and again the same information that was by now so ingrained in her memory, she wondered how any bit of Simon could forget it. The episode got more and more violent as it went on, and his behavior started to scare her. He was always so calm and demure, not at all this flailing, yelling thing she was looking at. He yelled his name into the sky and seemed to calm himself.

She approached with caution. "Simon?" she asked tenderly. He reassured her and gave her a hug. It felt a lot like home.

* * *

><p>He had become worse and worse and worse. Currently, Marceline was off hunting for some food for him. She stumbled upon four cans of Spaghetti-Os and smiled happily. <em>Simon is going to be so proud of me! I know he hasn't eaten in a while and I found him four cans of food! <em>She skipped back to where they had made camp for the day. "Simon! Simon I found some canned noodles for you!" She yelled as she approached the area. There he was, sitting in on himself and rocking back and forth. He took them and she began to play with Hambo who, next to Simon, was her absolute best friend in the whole wide world. She heard slurping noises for a few minutes before they abruptly stopped. She laughed to herself and shook her head. _Just like Simon to lose himself in thoughts when he needs to be eating. _"Are you done eating mister archaeologist?" she asked playfully.

He exploded. Pacing around madly and ranting on and on becoming more and more fervent with each passing breath. Wilder and wilder as he flung himself onto his scrapbook upon which he became still as the grave. He yelled. She hugged him and whispered reassurances. It felt a lot like love.

* * *

><p>She held up the noodles to Simon only to see confused eyes.<p>

"Do I…know you?"

Tears immediately welled up and began to spill down her face. _Never. He never forgets me he forgets his job and his name and Betty and names of things and places but he never forgets me. He can't forget me. He can't leave me alone again. He promised. He promised!_ While this ran though her head, he scrambled on his words, trying to reassure her. She looked up at him, watery, desperate, full of childish hope. "S-Simon?" she begged.

Seconds passed and her heart was being crushed before recognition dawned on his face. She cast the noodles aside and collapsed into him. Sobbing her fear and sadness out of her. He held her and apologized. She had cried herself into exhaustion and when he put her down to sleep she mumbled, "Don't ever leave me…I love you daddy…"

When she woke up, Simon and all of his things were gone. She clung to Hambo and cried.

* * *

><p><strong>Part Two<strong>

Elisa had found her on the side of the road, beaten and bloody and clutching a bear. She knew, _knew_ that killing this thing was the way to go. A monster, a demon, a bloodsucker. But she's never seen one so young before. The girl couldn't be more than seven. So, against her better judgment, she'd taken the creature home, not really knowing what to expect. She knew she'd have the fight of her life when the thing woke up, but she simply couldn't bring herself to kill it as it lay bleeding and defenseless on the gravel. Couldn't be more than seven. She was dressed in and overall dress, striped tee shirt and one sock. Black hair flowed down her back.

She placed the child on her bed with her teddy bear and sat in a chair, waiting for it to wake up, stake in hand. She surveyed her semi-permanent abode. Just outside of a major refugee camp (major being twenty people) she found sticking in numbers simply attracted hordes. So she situated just outside of one—close enough to get supplies, far enough to hide or run if (and when) the demons came. The real ones, not this little one sleeping peacefully before her.

It stirred, and she rose, poising herself over the body as eyes opened, prepared to strike. But the think just looked at her. Just…_looked._ A minute passed. "Neubližujte Hambo." The little girl whispered, and Elisa jumped back in shock.

"You…you can speak!" Elisa yelled. Stumbling over her own furniture. It was smart, it could speak, it could think, it wasn't killing her. The thing sat up and looked at her.

"Já nechápu, co říkáš. Mluvíš legrační." It said, eyes confused. Elisa briefly recognized the language as Czech…but that meant the girl had traveled half way across Germany and who knows how far across the Czech Republic.

"Um…Uh…I don't…I'm German. I'm sorry I can't…" Elisa shook her head, realizing this was getting nowhere fast. "You can speak!" she repeated, pointing the stake at the girl, who shriveled away, forcing the bear behind her back. Realizing her mistake, Elisa dropped the weapon and held her hands up in the universal sign of 'I mean no harm'. The thing relaxed a little. "You…" Elisa said again, pointing gently. "Speak." She said, flapping her hands in front of her mouth and away, looking at the thing in hopes of understanding.

"Jo ..." it said, nodding. Elisa heaved a sigh, glad the meaning came across. "Proč?" And she understood it was asking why, probably thinking her very strange indeed.

"I've…I've never met one who could…speak…before." She said, waving out the meaning as best she could. The thing seemed to understand.

"…speak…" it repeated in perfect German. Eliza nodded rapidly. It was a smart one after all. It wouldn't be long before it knew German and they could talk and carry on and—no. What was she thinking? It was a monster. She'd keep it for as long as it needed to heal then kick it out.

"Marceline." It said, pointing towards its chest. "Hambo." She said, bringing her bear forward.

Elisa laughed and placed a hand on her own chest. "Elisa." She said, and Marceline smiled briefly before it disappeared. Elisa didn't understand. Had she done something wrong? Had she been unfriendly?

"Byli jste mě zabít?" The girl asked, pointing towards the stake.

Elisa looked at the thing and wondered how she could have ever thought of killing such a profound and cute child. "I was, yes," she said nodding.

The child looked at her with an intensity too deep for one so young. It penetrated and understood. Elisa looked away for moments, still feeling those eyes upon her. Figuring, understanding, thinking. She looked up and caught the girl's eyes once more. Marceline shrugged with a sad smile and said, "To je v pořádku. Chápu." And went on to play with her bear.

Elisa couldn't believe it. Here she was, sitting, poised to kill, having admitted it and Marceline had…exonerated her? At least, that's what it felt like… "Damn I wish I spoke Czech!" She hollered.

Marceline scrunched her brow. "Parlez-vous français?" Elisa looked up, disbelieving. That was definitely _not _Czech. "Nej? Kanske svenska?" That wasn't French _or_ Czech. "Che ne dici di italiano?" What that _Italian?_ How many languages did this thing speak? "Być może polska jest lepsza? No? Españoles, entonces. Usted debe saber españolas." Two more…that made what…six total? "И я не думаю, что вы знаете русский или..." Marceline completed, and sighed. "Je mi líto, nemám mluvit německy..." And she rounds back to Czech.

"You know…seven languages?" Elisa asked. "_Seven_? Holy Jesus fucking Christ you must be a…a prodigy or a whiz kid or something!" She said, flailing around the small space in disbelief. Here she had been, thinking it a mindless monster, when it spoke seven god damn languages. Anything that could speak seven languages could in no way be anything close to a monster. She looked over at Marceline and huffed out her shock. Marceline giggled. And soon, the two were laughing wildly together.

Marceline groaned and shook her head suddenly, clinging to Hambo. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"hlad. hlad! Budu jíst vás! Uteč!" Marceline patted her stomach and waved her away and Elisa understood. She was hungry, and if ever there was a time for a thing to go mindless, it was when it was hungry. Scrambling about her small space, she found a knife, some bandages, and an old pickle jar. She sliced herself deep on the wrist (not too deep) and filled the jar before wrapping herself up and handing it to the girl. Marceline eyed the woman, then the jar, before downing it completely. Upon her finished meal, she looked up at Elisa, who smiled warmly, and collapsed into the woman. Crying and crying and crying. Elisa simply held her.

* * *

><p>Marceline had learned perfect German in two weeks and had been living with Elisa for over a year, feeding off the woman's own blood. Elisa hadn't understood her affections for Marceline, but she found herself happiest when around the little girl. She promised to herself to keep the child safe, and she was German, god damn it and promises meant something. Heeding the woman's word, Marceline remained inside always, for fear of being discovered by the refugee camp. The door swung open and heavy boot falls entered the room. Marceline got up and ran to hug the woman's legs.<p>

Elisa smiled and pulled a very sparse spool of thread from her pocket along with a needle. Marceline's eyes lit up and she jumped up and down from excitement. "Oh I just knew you'd find some I just knew it! It's just what I need to operate on Hambo! Thank you, thank you, thank you mom!" the two collectively drew breath and Marceline looked down immediately, tears of shame and sadness in her eyes as she mumbled out apologies. "I'm sorry I didn't…I mean I hadn't meant to imply…"

Elsa swept her up into a big hug. "I would love to be your mom, Marceline." The woman couldn't remember a time when she was so happy.

* * *

><p>Marceline had used the last bit of thread outside.<p>

"Didn't I tell you Marceline! Didn't I tell you always to stay inside!" Elisa yelled, utterly furious. She could hear the mob approaching.

"I'm sorry, mommy, I'm sorry! Hambo just wanted to see the outside with his new eye!" The little girl cried, scared and upset.

Elisa stopped, seeing Marceline clinging desperately to her bear. Tears welled and spilled over. "Oh sweetie…It's okay. I'm sure Hambo was the one who suggested it anyway." She held Marceline close. She'd had the girl for five years. Five years and one mistake was all it took. One child from the camp to run screaming that she'd seen a monster at Elisa's.

"I'm sorry, mom. I didn't mean to cause any trouble…I'm sorry…"

Elisa simply held the girl close. The yells were practically at her door step. Elisa pulled Marceline away and looked her in the eye. "Look, sweetie, no matter what happens I want you to remember that mommy loves you okay? I love you. I love you so, so much, Marceline."

The girl nodded fearfully, and Elisa went about grabbing her shot gun and what little ammo she had. She'd been saving it for an emergency and she'd be damned if the safety of her daughter didn't count as that. The tears hadn't stopped. They slammed against her door and she fired a shot at it, hitting, no doubt, whoever dared intrude on her property.

Marceline was crying when Elisa turned to her and said. "Now you listen up. You're a big smart girl, okay? But right now I need you to do what I say. I love you sweetie." She placed a kiss on the girl's forehead and gently moved her behind her. She opened the door brandishing her shot gun, knowing very few of the refugees had guns and certainly wouldn't use them for this. Marceline clung to her leg.

"What the fuck do you all want." She yelled at the crowd.

"You know what we want! You're harboring a monster in there! You're just biding time until she snaps and kills us all!" a man said, and the crowd (pitch forks, torches and all) cheered in angry agreement.

"Now you listen here. Marceline's been here for five years and she hasn't hurt anyone. You just leave us be." Elisa said, descending the three rickety stairs with Marceline behind her.

"Would you listen to that? Five years my ass! How've you fed her, huh? Hunted down other survivors and killed them for her?" The crowd surged towards her in protest of the thought and she shot at the ground, forcing them to back off.

"I've been feeding her mine." Elisa confessed, knowing full well what a mess she was getting into. But by God, Marceline would be safe.

The crowd gasped. "You…you've kept this beast alive?" The anger and hatred seethed off the group as they advance.

Elisa turned her and Marceline's back towards the road and subsequently the forest. "Marcie, baby, you remember how I told you to listen to mommy?" Elisa murmured almost silent, knowing full well Marceline had super hearing. The girl nodded onto her mother's leg. "Listen to me now. I love you. I love you more than my own life. And when I tell you to run, you run and don't look back, you hear me?" Elisa could feel the girl's hesitation, but eventually, Marceline nodded. "I love you, baby."

The crowd surged forward and Elisa shot and yelled, "Run Marceline! Run!" all at once. She felt the girl flee and emptied every bit of ammo she could onto the mob before they got her, pitch forks, torches, and all.

* * *

><p>She'd been attacked and had run, collapsing on the side of the road, fully expecting to die. When she awoke, a tall, beautiful blond woman around twenty-five stood over her with a stake. She was in a bed sure, but had she expected more than hostility? No. So she simply stared, knowing it was over. She clutched Hambo's hand and said, "Don't hurt Hambo." The woman jumped back fiercely.<p>

"Sie ... Sie können sprechen!" Marceline looked on as the woman, eyes wide, stumbled over her own furniture.

"I…I don't understand what you're saying. You talk funny." Marceline said, scratching her head. She thought for sure this woman would kill her.

"Ähm ... Äh ... ich weiß nicht ... Ich bin Deutscher. Es tut mir leid ich kann nicht ..." The woman shook her head and Marceline picked up quickly that the frantic woman before her was speaking German. She knew better than to move or try to escape, but the flailing stake in front of her did nothing to ease her nerves. "Sie können sprechen!" The woman hollered, before brandishing her stake fully.

Marceline shrunk away, Hambo behind her. She'd keep Hambo safe, at least. He was her only friend. The only thing she had left of a happier time. Of Simon. The woman seemed to realize something and she dropped the stake, holding hands up in surrender. _She looks like she means well enough…but she's human…they never mean well enough._ The girl only relaxed slightly.

"Sie…" The woman pointed at her, "sprechen!" And she made a silly motion with her hands. _I…talk? Of course I can talk…_

"Yeah…" She said with defense, "Why?"

The woman acted out her words and while Marceline felt like laughing, perhaps it was too early to show her teeth. "Ich habe ... Ich habe nie ein der ... sprechen konnte ... bevor erfüllt."

Marceline furrowed her brow. "…sprechen…" she said, and the woman nodded enthusiastically and smiled wide at her. _Well…it seems she won't kill me, eh, Hambo?_ She pointed to herself. "Marceline." And brought Hambo forward. "Hambo" she said, deciding in the least to give herself a name, lest the woman think her a complete monster. _Though chances are she already thinks that…_

The woman placed a hand on her own chest. "Elisa." She said. And Marceline couldn't help but return the smile that was being given to her. _Elisa. That's such a pretty name. It suits her, don't you think Hambo? A pretty name for a fierce woman. Fierce._ Her smile fell and she looked towards the stake. "Were you going to kill me with that?

The woman contemplated a moment and seemed to understand. "Ich war zu gehen, ja." She said. And Marceline looked at her. _She was going to kill me. Was. Not anymore. What changed? What made this human so different from the others? It must be her soul. Yes I can see it in her eyes she has a good soul._ Elisa looked away_ No one else cared I could speak. I was a monster to them. A monster. And maybe that's all I am…a monster. Father left, Simon left…I am good for nothing. _Elisa caught her eye once more. "It's okay…I understand." Marceline said, and turned to play with Hambo. _You'll never leave me. You'll always love me, won't you Hambo?_

"Verdammt, ich wünschte, ich sprach Tschechisch!" The woman hollered.

Marceline looked up at her. She was a right genius with languages; maybe the woman knew one more. It sounded like she wanted something to do with Czech. "Do you speak French?" the woman opened her mouth in shock and stared. "No? Maybe Swedish? How about Italian? Maybe Polish is better?" Still the woman didn't understand. Marceline grew desperate. "No? Spanish then. You should know Spanish." Still nothing. Marceline sighed. "And I don't think you'd know Russian…No. I'm sorry I don't speak German."

The woman was shell shocked for a moment before flinging herself around in an all out rant. "Du weißt schon ... sieben Sprachen? Sieben? Heilige Jesus verdammte Christi müssen Sie sein ... ein Wunderkind oder ein Genie oder so etwas!" Marceline giggled, then laughed, and soon, the two were laughing together. Until Marceline felt her stomach rumble. Amidst the language barrier confusion and adrenaline of maybe being killed, she'd very much forgotten her agonizing hunger. She groaned.

"Was ist das? Was ist los?"

Marceline clutched Hambo, hoping to stave off her blood lust. "Hungry. Hungry! I'll eat you! Run!" _I don't want to hurt her…not when she hasn't hurt me…I don't want to. I won't…I won't…I won't! _She heard the woman shuffling about for a few moments before sweet, delicious, intoxicating, wondrous blood was being shoved at her in a jar. She looked at Elisa only allowing herself a moment to wonder where it came from before drinking the whole big jar down in one go. Elisa sat and watched. When Marceline had finished, she dared a glance at the woman before her, who simply smiled, while her bandaged wrist showed through. Marceline collapsed into her and cried. Elisa held her.

* * *

><p>In the little over a year she'd been living with Elisa, she had grown to love her so very much. Elisa kept her safe and fed and cared for. Tucked her in at night and told her bed time stories. Brought her knick knacks as surprises on occasion. Just like a real mom. In fact, long since the time had passed where Marceline had begun to think of the young woman in such a light.<p>

Boots clomped up the stair and into the house. Marceline jumped up and ran over, giving Elisa a warm hug at the legs. The woman smiled, before whipping a thin spool of thread and a needle from her pocket. Not too long ago, Hambo's right paw had fallen off. She'd kept the stuffing and piece very carefully, knowing her slip shod work on him before had been with bits of twine and other things as she travelled. Elisa had promised to find needle and thread for her just as soon as she could. Marceline had tried just as hard as she could not to believe it—promises meant nothing. But the child in her couldn't help but hope and trust that the woman would pull through.

And she had. "Oh I just knew you'd find some I just knew it! It's just what I need to operate on Hambo! Thank you, thank you, thank you mom!" She gasped, so did Elisa. _Probably in disgust. I didn't mean to let it slip. I didn't I promise. She's going to kick us out. She's going to leave us. She's going to hate us and abandon us._ "I'm sorry I didn't…I mean I hadn't meant to imply…" She mumbled over racing thoughts.

All of a sudden, she was swept up into a huge bear hug wet with tears. "I would love to be your mom, Marceline."

Marceline hadn't been this happy since Simon had cared for her.

* * *

><p>She'd sat on the lawn, in the light, and sown Hambo a new eye. He had wanted to see the world again. Her mom was yelling and yelling and she was apologizing over and on top of and there were voices outside and everything was just happening so fast. Hugs and 'I love you's and her mom grabbed a gun. Tears. Banging at the door and fear and more fear and tears. ""Now you listen up. You're a big smart girl, okay? But right now I need you to do what I say. I love you sweetie." Marceline could only nod.<p>

Yelling. Yelling at her mom and calling her a monster. A demon. More yelling and a gun shot. Fear. More fear. Fear for her mom. Tears for her. Things were happening too loud and too fast and then a quiet sound. "Marcie, baby, you remember how I told you to listen to mommy?" Fear and tears and a premonition of loss. She nodded. "Listen to me now. I love you. I love you more than my own life. And when I tell you to run, you run and don't look back, you hear me?" Loss. Fear. Loss. Heartbreak. She didn't want to leave her mom. She didn't want to be alone again. She nodded anyway "I love you, baby."

Running and yelling and shooting and anger and hate and fear and fear and tears and her mom's voice, "Run Marceline! Run!"

She ran and didn't look back. She didn't have to to know her mom was being killed behind her.

* * *

><p><strong>Part Three<strong>

Nova didn't know Hunson Abadeer had a child until it had shoved them all back into the Night-O-Sphere. She'd never taken such a demon for the fatherly type, and, true enough, when he propositioned for a redo of the Vampire Queen's life, Nova knew it was headed for disaster. She eaves dropped.

"-line I've changed! I've grown! Give me another chance." He said weakly, very much unlike the dark overlord of the Night-O-Sphere she knew.

"You've grown? _You've_ changed? No, dad, _I've _grown!" Now there was the confidence and power of a leader. "I did this! I sent you all back here and it took me over two hundred years! Two hundred years you can't wish back! I'm a queen now! I was five years old when you left me! Not five hundred, five!"

Nova hadn't known that. It disgusted her slightly (completely). Sure she was a demon and sure she was heartless, but that was his spawn. Vampires were monsters but they were still your offspring. Still a piece of you. And to convert one when the host was only five and abandon it? Cruel. And especially now, knowing that Marceline wasn't like the others, it particularly boiled her blood. He was a bad man and a worse father. She knew her time would be up eventually and he'd disembowel her or do whatever it is he does…but to abandon a five year old in a war ravaged and savage land only to have it be killed or what have you? She couldn't fathom that kid of cruelty.

The conversation had ended upon the musings and Marceline burst through the door. Glaring at her she spit, "Who the fuck are you?"

Nova feared her definitely. She'd killed demons and vampires and sent each of them back to their own dimensions. She was not a being to be trifled with. "I'm Nova…your father's…ahm…"

"My father's new plaything." She growled, and the anger was for her father, clearly. She sighed it away in defeat. I find it hard to believe anything could defeat her. Even her own father. "Well looks like you're my step-mom now. I can't say no to his pleading. He's pathetic." And she waltzed off.

They did indeed 're-do' her life. She went to a baby and aged and she grew up and they were friends. Nova was someone she could talk to about Hunson's ever-pressing plans for her and she was someone the female demon grew to care about. Once though, Nova asked her to call her 'mom'. Marceline nearly tore her head off with screams of 'You'll never be my mother! Never!' and then she railed off for ten minutes in German. Nova hadn't even known she spoke German. She left and came back and Nova apologized. Marceline nodded once fiercely and they hugged. Nova never brought it up again. Not to anyone.

A hundred years passed and they kept up the image of happy family. Pictures and fake smiles and fake joy. Marceline sacrificed a lot to keep her father happy. Nova knew without her saying she wanted out, wanted gone, wanted to stop. She hadn't wanted to do this in the first place and yet, here they all were. And the day came when Nova felt in the pit of her stomach that Hunson was tired of her. She went to Marceline and told her. They hugged and Nova cried for the first time she could remember. Marceline told Nova that when she was gone, Marceline was too.

And Nova was gone.

* * *

><p>He had begged Marceline. Begged her on his hands and knees for a redo. She'd agreed, step-mom and all. It turns out, Nova wasn't so bad. It helped. She helped. It was hard to keep up appearances for her dad and it was nice to have someone to talk to. She knew it was only temporary. She hadn't wanted to do it at all. So when Nova came up to her and told her, her time was up, she immediately decided hers was too. She didn't see Hunson again for hundreds of years.<p>

* * *

><p>"Marcie?" The Vampire Queen was startled out of her reverie by the soft call of her name. "Come back to bed…" Bubblegum sighed groggily. Marceline floated over from the balcony and under warm sheets, cuddling up to her lover. "What's wrong?" Bubblegum cared to ask, tired though she was.<p>

"Nothing Bubblegum, nothing…I was just…" A long moment passed. "…Remembering."

Bubblegum let the vampire curl up into her. "Oh? Who?" She asked dreamily, stroking pitch hair.

"It doesn't matter." Marceline said, curling up even further. "They're all gone now."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Did you see the new Adventure Time guys? Did you see? GOOD. TAKE MY FEELS. TAKE THEM! This chapter took me SIX HOURS. The feels! And YES I doubled up perspectives for each part because THE FEELS. Deal with it! So...yeah...felt that episode hardcore and this took a lot out of me. Haha Finn and Jake are next and then I'm going back to requests. For the Marcie's mom request there's _bvzant, anon, _and_ Ever the Enuii. _Hope it was up to snuff guys.**

**As always, thanks for the reviews and kindness. Thanks again for bearing through this long ass chapter. Lots of love, all.**

**I FORGOT TO MENTION. So I made Simon Czech because Petrikov is a place in the Czech Republic, so I figured, why not? Also, yes, I decided Marceline would be a language wiz, so she learned six or so languages when she was looking for Huson/with Simon. So...yeah. Hope that's okay.**


	33. Of Clocks and Ragdolls

Chapter 33: Of Clocks and Ragdolls

Finn was just chilling playing a little BMO when the knock at the door came. It was formal, polite, yet urgent. He got up and crossed the room, only to find a Banana guard standing at the door. Before he even had time to murmur out a question, a letter was thrust into his hands, and the guard went off back to the Candy Kingdom. _What the lump was that all about?_ He shrugged. "Yo Jake!" He yelled up the trunk. "Jake!" He yelled again, and when he heard sufficient shuffling going on upstairs, he went and sat on the couch.

The envelope was overtly royal-sealed with wax and all. There was no doubt it was from Bubblegum. _But…why would she send a letter? Are we invited to something?_ He presented it to BMO. "What do you think BMO? Why'd Bubblegum send us the super royal letter, detective man?"

The little robot scratched his head, 'Hmm'ing in contemplation. "Perhaps…it is a summons!" He announced, very pleased with himself. At this point, Jake finally stretched down into the living room, rubbing his eyes in exhaustion. _Having kids'll do that to ya, I suppose._

"What is it? Whadd'ya want?" The dog asked grumpily.

Finn snatched the letter up and showed it to Jake. "Check it out, meng. We got like, a royal letter or some junk!"

Jake sniffed it a bit. "Yeah it's from Bubblegum. What's it say?"

"Let's find out!" Finn said, and split the seal. He pulled out the letter and let the envelope flutter unceremoniously to the ground. He cleared his throat and began to read. "_Dear Finn, Princess Bubblegum of the Candy Kingdom is hereby formally requesting your presence on this day. It is also added that you arrive post-haste, as she greatly requires your assistance. Thank you._" Finn turned the paper over to make sure there wasn't anything written on the back. He stared at Jake who was sitting at the table eating leftover pancakes. "What the junk was that all about?"

"Wemm, itshounderd 'ike ahm rogal shummphs 't mph." He said around his food.

Finn looked at him. "What?" he asked, walking over and sitting next to him, setting the note on the table.

Swallowing largely, the dog reiterated, "Well, it sounded like a royal summons to me."

Finn scrunched his head. "But like…we've never gotten one before." He stated.

This time, Jake swallowed before he spoke. "Well…maybe it's something ultra-mondo important. Maybe you're getting knighted. Or-or maybe the Princess needs your righteous human DNA to create some kind of super beast that will destroy all the evil in the world! Or _maybe_ she needs a lock of your hair to feed to her secret pet that only eats hair!"

"Princess Bubblegum has a pet that eats hair?" Finn asked, clasping on firmly to his childish naivety (something he should have lost two years ago.)

Jake just chuckled. "Who knows, bro. I'm just saying…she _could_."

Finn mused again, and re-read the letter. "What does 'post-haste' mean anyway?"

Jake simply shrugged, when all of a sudden, BMO popped in with a new theory. "Perhaps it is because the floating lady has been gone so long!"

Finn turned to him. _Floating lady…? _His eyebrows leapt in realization. "Who, Marceline?" he asked, and the little robot nodded.

"Y'know come to think of it, I haven't seen her around in ages. And Bubblegum has been pretty weird lately." Jake jumped in.

Finn scowled. _When was the last time I saw her? And Bubblegum has been like super royal busy and funky lately…_But try as he might, he simply couldn't remember when he'd see the vampire last. _Oh boy…I hope they're still cool with each other. _He walked over to the door and sat down, putting on his shoes and putting off his plans of seeing Flame Princess later. "Okay well I don't know what 'post-haste' means but if this does have something to do with Marceline, I'd better go as fast as I can." He stood, shoes tied, backpack on, and hat firmly secured. "Okay. Jake, you coming?"

"The letter was for you, bro." Jake replied.

"But the pups'll be there, I'm sure." The boy egged on, knowing full well the dog was super beyond stoked to be a dad.

He laughed as Jake let out a good hearted groan. "Fatherhood is tough nuts, man." But the smile on his face was clear enough answer.

Riding on Jake's back, he got there was faster than he would have normally. Lady and the pups were just outside of the castle, and he waved the dog off. He walked in and Peppermint Butler, small face laced with concern, began to escort him to Bubblegum's room. "She hasn't been out in three days! She takes all her meals in there and just immerses herself in law and ruling. Revising and revisiting old laws. It's terrible!"

The hall led down to Bubblegum's personal chambers. Peppermint made a small gesture towards the door, before beginning to scuttle away. Finn stared after the movement in fear. "Peppermint…Peppermint!" He whispered fiercely. "Wait, what do I do?" But by then, the little candy man had gone. _Probably left because he doesn't know what to do either. And if Peppermint, whose know PB for like, ever, doesn't know what to do, how am I supposed to know what to do? Oh glob, glob, glob! _

He started to pace just outside her room._ Okay Finn, focus. Make a plan! Isn't PB always saying make a plan? Don't just rush in there. But then…Jake says go with my gut…No! This is Princess Bubblegum! Planning is good! She likes planning! Okay so…option one: Knock. Okay knocking could be good._ He raised his fist to rap on the wood door._ She'd know I was here and…but no! What if she just decides to turn me away? People can do that when you knock. Okay then…option two: barge in, sword a-shining, bows a-blazing style! Yeah! Classic Finn! _The door stared at him…and he wisely decided against that. _Okay, no. I don't wanna be mean to the door. So…three. Option three. Wait for her to open the door on her own. Oh but then I'd never get in!_

He continued pacing when a soft voice filtered its way through the door. "Finn I can hear you pacing." He gulped. _So she knows I'm here. But she didn't say 'come in'. Do I go in? Do I stay out?_ A tired sigh from the room. "Just come in, Finn Human."

He shuffled his feet for a moment like a child in trouble, and opened the door. He didn't know what to expect but…everything seemed normal. The room was pink and well-kept. Her desk in the corner was stacked high and orderly with paperwork. Bright sun streamed proud through the widows. Everything looked normal. Princess Bubblegum sat on her bed, staring out her open balcony doors. She, unlike her room, looked very different. She was paler, and, in a stark contrast to the norm, unequivocally haggard. Strands of bubblegum hair sprang out at odd angles, the rest pulled back in a haphazard bun. There were clear bags under her eyes, which didn't seem to be in the room at all, and she was still wearing her pajamas. Finn's eyes flitted over her in concern. _That's Marceline's shirt._ They stayed in silence for a moment. He glanced around the room again for any sign of the vampire, but there was none. Not a bass or grey food, not a splash of black anywhere, save upon the princess herself. For once, the boy simply waited. No urgency, no explosion of heroism, just a boy waiting for a friend to speak.

"She's gone, Finn." The candy girl finally replied.

_So it is about Marceline. I'll have to tell BMO later. _

Bubblegum didn't move. "She's been gone for one month, three weeks, five days, six hours and…" she glanced at her clock, which hung on the far side of the room, "twenty-seven minutes." Silence fell again, only this time, Finn could hear distinctly the sound of the ticking clock. He gulped. The clock continued in its duty; its hard work pounding ominously, repetitively, and in finality through the space. A clock had ever been so loud, he was convinced.

"I know where she goes but…I don't know what she's doing. Not really. I mean…I can guess, but…if she told me, if she just told me I-I'd be better. I'd have a clear image. I'd know what she was up against." She was unraveling at the seams. Finn could see the princess now: a rag doll, with each _tick, tick, tick_ of the clock pulling at the string that held her together. A clock always started upon Marceline's departure to…_that place_. The boy stepped forward cautiously, his foot falls falling in time with the tugging of seams. He sat.

The bed sank with him and Bubblegum shifted. She toyed with something small in her hands. He looked, and the clock was suddenly pulling at his strings too. _Marceline __**needs**__ to come back…she __**has**__ to come back…_The pieces fit into place, and Finn could see if she didn't return soon, Bubblegum might not be fixable.

"I was going to ask her…" she whispered. Finn stared out the balcony. "She's never been gone for more than a month, Finn! Never more than a month! Not even to the second! She's…she's…I don't know what but she isn't here and I don't know what she's doing or if she's…and it's been so much more than a month and-and…and I was going to ask her."

The rag doll clung desperately to its splitting seams, and fell into a fried weeping.

"Bubblegum…" the boy whispered, holding her in his arms as she sobbed, "It's…it's okay. It's going to be okay. Marceline is…a totes crazy chick and she…she's fine. You'll see." He said the words. He didn't believe them.

But then, speak of the devil, a noisy, red, terrifying portal opened from the Night-O-Sphere, and in flew Marceline, a shout of "I don't fucking care! Just take care of it! I did my part!" as parting words to her homeland. Finn sighed a breath of relief. He couldn't even hear the clock anymore. Marceline looked at him, eyes furrowed up in sadness and worry. The boy nodded once, and she flew out. _I'll take care of her. Come back later._

Sniffles. "I hate her…" A muttered whisper. "She does this every time and…I hate her."

Finn, for all his composure, for all his support, leapt on the words. "Hate her? What the Glob, Bubblegum?" She looked up in shock as the boy stood furious, fierce. "You're a brainlord like for sure but how can you be so…so…grod, Peebles, how can you be so _stupid_?" she gasped in shock, a firm question of 'I beg your pardon?' on her lips, but he didn't let her interrupt. "You're super mega awesome genius about everything but when it comes to Marceline you just don't get it! Don't you think the clock was ticking for her too, Bubblegum? Don't you think _she _knows exactly how long it's been, _to the second_, just like you? I mean, come _on_ PB!"

The candy girl stared out her balcony doors. "But she leaves. She always leaves."

Finn sighed in exasperation. "PB…how can you be so blind? Whatever that chick does…it's important. She's off saving something or killing something or overthrowing something because if she didn't someone worse would. And then where would your Candy Kingdom be? Because whatever dudes _she's_ fighting, you just hafta know it's some terrible totes blooby insane Lich junk or something! And Jake and I sure as heck couldn't handle that! We'd stand a snowball's chance in the Fire Kingdom. But Marceline? Heck, she could take on ten Lich's…probably all on her own too! She's risking her well being for yours. She's about as righteous as a chick could get. 'Sides, she's immortal!"

"Immortal, not deathless. She could die just as easily as you." Bubblegum said in heat. "Immortal is the capability to have never ending life. Deathless is the guarantee to have one."

Finn's face leapt in surprise. "Oh um…Oh." He managed, having not thought about the difference. Suddenly, he furrowed his brow, confident and sure. "Doesn't matter. That girl would always come back to you, PB. Always."

* * *

><p>Jake was playing with the pups when Marceline flew overhead. She floated through the sun before filching a parasol and floating off, axe bass strapped to her back. "<strong>You should go after her.<strong>" Lady told him softly. "**I can watch the pups.**"

Jake mulled it over. "I don't know, my Lady. What if she wants to drink my sweet dog blood? What if it's all a trap to lure me to her evil lair where she can drain me of my fluids and turn me into a zombie?"

Lady raised an eyebrow, the dog not understanding that she hadn't requested he go, she had commanded. "**First, she eats red. Second, you've been to her so-called 'lair'. Third, Bubblegum made zombies and you still like her. And fourth, you're going because I said it so.**" She eyeballed him.

He huffed. "Fine. But I won't like it." He said goodbye to the pups and kissed Lady for good measure.

"Stupid _vampire_." He puffed, walking down the street and kicking rocks, his hands in his 'pockets'. "Bet she's just all _broody_ and _angry_ and _hungry_." He 'Hmmphed', following her sent, but not stretching to go any faster. He'd never quite taken to Marceline, no matter how much Bubblegum loved her or how harmless she always turned out to be. He left the Candy Kingdom and was walking across the fields, muttering to himself all the while.

When he came to her, her bass was thrown sloppily and crookedly into the ground. She wasn't playing, and she floated criss-cross, lazily swaying to and fro, as if she didn't really care. "What do _you_ want, dog?" she growled.

Jake hitched. But there was no denying the sniffles that came from her even if her back was turned to him. "Well…uh…see Lady was down with me outside the castle, right? And I was having super cool times with my kids and all that…y'know…trying to be a good dad or whatever. Well…anyway Lady saw you float out and was all like 'Go after her, Jake' and I was like 'Naw, man, she'll eat me' and Lady was like 'Too bad' so here I am…" Silence. "Y'know…to check on you." More silence. "To see if you were okay." Silence still. "Cause lady told me." Still nothing. "Because you've been gone. And PB's been weird. And now you're weird. And Lady was worried. I think about Bubblegum, but I don't know." A pause and only the sound of the wind after ever sentence.

The dog finally shut up, and just stared at her.

"She wants me to tell her what I do there; but if I do, I know she'll just worry even more than she does now." The vampire paused. Jake sat back-to-back with her, just listening (for once). "What does she want me to say? 'Oh yeah, demons of every shape and size, deathless and all powerful being try constantly to tear my head off or burn me or whatever all at the same time? They try to poison my food and stake me at night and I end up bloodied and carnaged within each hour with hundreds upon hundreds of things trying to overthrow me? Death knocks at my door every day, lousy old skeleton, just to see if I want to give up life?' 'Hop on over to the underworld, Marceline, it'll be so much easier' he says. Is that what she wants to hear?"

"I spend every second of every day thinking about her. It rips me apart! I've been gone for one month, three weeks, five days, seven hours and two minutes! Does she think I can't feel the damn clock ticking away at me? Does she think I don't care, when every wind of the clock pulls away at my heart strings? It almost ruined me to be away so long! It felt like I was just…just lying there falling apart, insides all spilling out with no hope of being put back together." She sighed, and took a pause. Her tone shifted. "I'm not stupid. I know she worries about me dying or whatever. But…what am I supposed to do?" She spoke; quietly, reverently, sadly. Her voice caught.

"I know." Jake said, completely shattering the dower mood and sadness emanating from the vampire and into the air. "It's easy…you just gotta find a way to let Bubblegum know whether you're alive or dead when you're away."

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?" she hissed. "Give her a call?"

Jake shrugged. "I don't know…aren't you the crazy all-powerful shape-shifting magic demon child Vampire Queen?"

A pause. "Yeah. I am." She said, and he heard her yank her bass from its precarious situation and fly quickly off to, what he assumed to be, Bubblegum.

"Dang…I'm awesome at problem solving." Jake said, and whistled a little tune as he walked leisurely back to the Candy Kingdom, arms behind his head, sun high in the sky, and not a cloud in sight.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Okay...Sorry for the wait. Here it is. I'll be going back to suggestions now, so feel free to input! In response to _Matrixdude _(and to my own untimeliness) I'd like to say that I hope to have a chapter up at least once a month. I'm also 100% positive the next chapter will be smut. Writing all this emotional junk is exhausting.  
><strong>

*****CONTEST TIME!*****

**So there have been LOADS of requests for their babies. I am totally going to do this. HOWEVER, I suck at names. SO...I'm holding a small contest for names. I need one boy name and one girl name. I'll take suggestions in comments (or on Tumblr, if you tumbl) and we'll hold a little poll and take votes and everything! I'll take suggestions for one week, and keep you up-to-date from there. Thanks for sticking with me!**

**-JD**


	34. Satisfaction

Chapter 34: Satisfaction

Bubblegum was taking advantage of the early evening darkness. The sun had long since set, and, as it were, the night was still young. This proved to be in her favor, and she thanked Mother Nature for the relief from well-past-midnight trysts. In fact, as she stood arm-in-arm looking at a collection of weather-torn books from glob knows where with Marceline, it was most likely only six o'clock. While Marceline stared idly off, not too fond of old things, Bubblegum couldn't help but pull her in closer, barring herself against the chill of the air, and reveling in the fact that she could, indeed, for three or four months of the year, shop with her vampire.

As she picked up a particularly water-logged and indecipherable tome, plotting ways to restore the beaten text, she heard Marceline gasp. "Shit, shit, shit!" the vampire mumbled, turning around and diving behind Bubblegum, as though the girl would shield her.

"What?" Bubblegum inquired, "What is it?"

Marceline, dodging and diving with the girl's moving torso, caught her eyes briefly and hissed, "It's Ash. He's just walking right down the fucking street!" Bubblegum's eyes widened as she put the book back on the pile and began to turn, only to be stopped by Marceline yanking her back around, facing away from the approaching boy. "No don't look! Maybe he'll just walk by!"

The candy princess raised her eyebrow. "I hardly think he'll miss us. I'm a bright pink candy princess." She stated teasingly. Just then, a slick voice sounded over her ear.

"Well, well, well…if it isn't the Candy Princess…and Marceline!"

The vampire moved next to her girlfriend and tried her best to fake a smile, which ended up looking more like a pained grit of agony. Bubblegum herself did not even attempt the formality, and glared at him outright. Over the years since his mention, the candy princess had deduced exactly who Ash was, exactly what he had _done_, and _exactly_ the nature of his relationship with Marceline. And she didn't like it. She didn't like it one bit.

She took in his appearance and, while similar in style, she could never fathom Marceline's attraction to him. He had three wisps of hair that hung unkempt over his shoulders and head (something she assumed he thought was _cool_) and the outfit he wore was dungy, black, scraped up and, she wagered from the smell, unwashed. The conclusion had been made that Marceline had been going through a _phase_ when she made the poor decision of 'dating' the boy.

"So…It's true then! The Candy Princess and the Vampire Queen…" He leaned in close, his rancid breath killing the air. "How could this _girl_ ever satisfy you the way I could, huh, Marceline? Face it; I'm the best you are ever going to have. Now…why don't you stop all this stupid frolicking about with mortals and come back with me." He whispered into her ear, inaudible to the princess.

Marceline stepped slightly in front of the candy girl and shoved him away. "Back off, ass hole!" she growled, teeth growing sharp and eyes burning red. Bubblegum, sensing danger, placed a comforting hand on the vampire, calming her down. The princess breathed a sigh of relief, as Marceline exhaled a trail of fire and stopped shaking. "Sorry, Bonni…" She muttered.

Ash laughed. "Oh-ho-ho! I see you've managed to train the devil! Always had a rough time of it, myself. The only thing she was ever good for were her sandwiches. She was always in the kitchen for me, rightly so, too. Anyways, pinky, now she's all trained up, I'll be taking her back. There's no way _you _could ever satisfy _her _needs." He scoffed.

Now, what he didn't know was that Bubblegum, over the course of his little tirade, had grown more and more irate. She'd been displeased with him from the moment he walked up, and all this nonsense about treating Marceline like some sort of animal had frayed her edges. But the coup de grâce was when this _boy_, this _wizard_, this _ex_ had the audacity to accuse Princess Bubblegum of being unable to satisfy _her_ vampire. Really it should have been no shock whatsoever when Ash got punched square in his face, a sickening _crack_ echoing down the lane as his nose broke. However, as it was the Candy Princess who had punched him, it came as quite a shock indeed.

He fell down, completely knocked out, the flow of blood staining his stupidly white hair and her knuckles burning with the fiery passion of her anger (really it was pain, but the metaphor sounded better in her mind). "Come on Marceline…" The Princess growled at the awe-struck Vampire. "We're going back to the castle." Oh she would show _him _who could satisfy who. The vampire floating next to her didn't know what was _coming_.

She raced them both through the kingdom streets, through winding hallways, and directly into her bedroom. When she paused, just as the door closed behind them both, Marceline gave an awed laugh. "Glob, Bubblegum I didn't know you had it in you! Seeing you do that was—" Her words were cut off by a ferocious kiss, and she let out a small sound at the shock of it.

As Bubblegum's tongue demanded entrance to her mouth, and gained access, the vampire girl's knees turned to jelly. The only thing holding her against the door was the angry grip of pink hands on her waist. She clung helplessly to the girl in front of her as she was taken for all that she was worth. Bubblegum nipped and tugged at her lower lip before descending, all teeth and tongue, down to Marceline's bite mark.

The vampire girl, for her part, was already in a haze of arousal, the kiss having sent her far past the point of being ready. She could feel her skin bruise with the force of Bubblegum's aggression as hot breaths peppered her neck and ear. Hot with arousal and sticky with the sweat of anticipation, Marceline could hardly force a whimper to pass her lips, the candy girl's ministrations stacking one on top of the other cutting off all sound in place of sheer pleasure. Gasping breaths and silent moans left her mouth.

The candy girl growled with determination, and ripped Marceline's shirt open before palming roughly at Marceline's already-too-sensitive breasts, shoving her own hips forward to support the weight of a girl falling in ecstasy. Bubblegum slathered uncontrolled bites on Marceline's collarbone and decided that holding her up was restraining her too much. She grabbed the vampire by the torn edges of her lapels and turned her around from the door to let her fall her painfully to the floor.

It wasn't a moment before insistent hands were replaced by an eager mouth, as Bubblegum teased Marceline's nipples. Marking her, claiming her. It was to the satisfaction of the candy girl herself that she was doing what she was doing, and as Marceline pitched her body around as painful waves of desire washed over her, she was emboldened ever further. Wrapping lips wholly around a grey nipple and teasing all the area around it with her tongue, she gave the vampire a moment before biting down hard enough to draw blood.

A scream erupted into the room, the first real sound Marceline had made, and Bubblegum was sure (so sure) the girl below her had come. Unwilling to let the fuzz of arousal she herself felt deter her, she licked a trail from Marceline's navel to her neck, leaving a trail of saliva in her wake and savoring the salty, sweet, electric taste of Marceline on her tongue. The vampire gasped breaths, breaths that silently begged for reprieve, for a moment of rest, but Bubblegum was having none of it. She hastily let practiced fingers unbutton and pull down skin-tight jeans and underwear just far enough to put her hand exactly where she wanted it.

The candy girl grinned at the feeling that greeted her. Marceline _had_ come, no doubt soaking through her panties and pants to boot. Her arousal was dripping down her thighs and now on to the floor as she panted. Wasting no time, she plunged three fingers into Marceline, setting a fast and furious pace as though she would never be satisfied. The vampire seized, mouth opened in a silent scream, and Bubblegum's hand was flooded with the evidence of her pleasure. Still unsatisfied, she hoisted a limp Marceline up and onto the bed, yanking off the boots and practically tearing the jeans away; she moved her head between trembling thighs and licked fully up the vampire girls flooded arousal.

Bubblegum hummed in appreciation of Marceline's taste, and thighs clenched around her head in protest. The candy girl, knowing surely Marceline was far too sensitive for more, didn't stop at all, but only increased her fervor as she gripped the vampire legs, digging fingers into sensitive flesh. She plunged her tongue as far into the girl as it could go, curling it and licking at every inch of Marceline she could manage.

Wanting to taste more, _have_ more, she wrapped her lips around and engorged clit and sucked without any mercy. As the Queen let out a strangled, half-noise from the back of her throat, Bubblegum licked and drank all that Marceline's latest orgasm was giving, coating her nose and lips in sticky arousal, eyes rolling back in her head from appreciation and she hummed.

As the last jolt of pleasure shook Marceline, the groans emanating from the vampire were enough to convince an unsatisfied Bubblegum to stop. Surely anymore at that point would just be painful. As she bit and kissed an angry trail up to Marceline's mouth, she growled at the limitations of the body. She didn't _want_ to be done with her, she _wasn't_ done with her. She kissed the vampire angrily on the mouth and plunged her tongue in, forcing the immortal to taste herself as retaliation for the body below her being unable to continue.

She resigned to nipping and sucking at Marceline's neck until she recovered enough for her to continue. "…Hot…" The vampire croaked.

"What?" she asked, voice leaden with desire for more from the girl.

"Seeing you—ah! Do…do that to Ash…" she cried out as a particularly fierce bite marred her flesh at the mention of his name, "was…h-hot…" As her breathing evened out slightly, Bubblegum smirked into the vampire's neck, and began her pursuit to get it raggedy and uneven once more.

"Wait! Wh-what a_bout_ you?" Marceline managed, gasping through the sentence

"Oh…I'm not through with you yet…"

It was left utterly indisputable that Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum of the Candy Kingdom of Ooo was most definitely able to satisfy _every_ need and every _other_ need of Marceline the Vampire Queen of the Night-O-Sphere.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**On the first day of Smutmas, my Fanfic gave to me  
>A little bit of <strong>**Misogyny**

**Welcome to the 12 days of Smutmas.**

**Requests for Dom Bonnie: _SpecialAgentOso, SatinBtweenLinez, Guest._ Request for exes:_ Z-King, Marceline 3er._ Smut:_ Renbird_ (Was this good enough?)**

**Happy Holidays,  
><strong>

**JD**


	35. In the Night

Chapter 35: In the Night

Pink fingers traced delicately over pale flesh. Reverently reminding the person they belonged to that yes, Marceline was there; and yes, she was still alive. Every time the vampire went away, the time pulled at Bubblegum's heart strings. And every time she returned, the candy princess needed a physical reminder that it wasn't a dream, that her love was still with her, that no permanent ill had befallen her. The moon shone fiercely, casting a paling glow over the two.

"I missed you…" She whispered quietly into the night air. Night, where the Queen belonged, where she felt at home. When Bubblegum spent nights without Marceline by her side, she felt the instinctual fear return to her. People were killed at night, crimes took place at night, you couldn't see at night. Alone, the nights were just as black as pitch; empty and cold, she felt the night close in around her. When Marceline wasn't there.

Marceline looked down at the princess, a calming hand placed on her cheek as she smiled in apology and reassurance. She leaned in softly and placed a light kiss on Bubblegum's lips, the sweet sugar of love lingering for her to taste as she pulled away. "I missed you too," came the quiet declaration, and as their eyes caught, the candy princess leaned in for another kiss. It started soft, as it always did when Marceline had just returned. A kiss that was full of reminders of life, promises of love, and apologies for the future, all without saying a word.

It was always Marceline who broke first. Days away from her princess fighting always left her with pent up feelings. Long gone were the days when passionate aggressions were thrust forcefully upon the candy girl. Though the passion was still there, it was tempered by the sadness of being away. She teased Bubblegum's lips with her tongue, quietly asking permission. And, as Bubblegum smiled at the softness of it, she granted entrance.

Their tongues danced around each other, giving and taking exactly as the other needed. And, while it was true that Marceline always broke first, silently begging her lover for more than a kiss, it was always when the vampire wrapped her tongue completely around that of her lovers that Bubblegum began to move them to their bed. She grabbed Marceline by the color of her tee-shirt and walked backwards until she fell upon the soft surface. Their lips parted as the princess scooted back onto the bed completely and let Marceline crawl on top of her on all fours.

They kissed again, not willing to be apart for long, and Bubblegum's breath soon became heavy. The vampire pulled away and nipped lightly at the princess' neck, draining only the smallest bits of pink here and there. "Marceline…" came the breathy response. Where Marceline would usually chuckle at her ability to unwind the prim and proper princess, she only placed loving kisses. These times were never a time for lewd words or cruel teasing.

Bubblegum sat up and pulled Marceline's tee over her head, revealing her pale, smooth, muscular stomach. They kissed again as Bubblegum unbuttoned the vampire's jeans and her breath too, became ragged. The teasing feeling of only pink fingertips only just touching electric skin driving her wild, as the touch always did. She shimmied out of her jeans and lay over Bubblegum again, hair fanning out in a wild halo as her head hit the pillow.

She trailed a smooth line up under Bubblegum's sleep shirt (her shirt), and gasped slightly at the feel of her lover against her hands again. The candy princess arched her back to accommodate the removal of her top, and sighed contentedly at the skin-on-skin contact it allowed. Marceline began to gently squeeze her breasts and nip at her collar bone just exactly how Bubblegum liked it. The vampire's right hand began the slow decent down her lover's torso and stomach, pausing briefly to play with a belly button.

As her hand breached the waist line of Bubblegum's pajama bottoms, Marceline inhaled sharply at what she found. "You aren't wearing underwear…"

"I was—Ah!—Hoping you'd be h-home tonight…" she gasped out breathily, as the vampire began to tease at her folds. She was beyond ready, as she always was after Marceline returned. "You-you're over-dressed." She whispered into her lover's ear, and she placed hot kisses all over a toned stomach as Marceline hurried to get off her under wear. Licking lightly at her lover's belly button, Bubblegum reveled in the almost-not-there moan that she had drawn from the girl. The two lay down again. "Much better…" she sighed, as the full feeling of Marceline settled on top of her, and she unconsciously bucked her hips up into the taller girl.

"Grod…Bonni…" she groaned, and ground her hips down as well, drawing quiet wanton cries from pink lips. Bubblegum didn't have to wait long, as Marceline grabbed her left leg and hiked it over her own waist, before settling down onto her lover. Marceline let out a small growl as their center's touched, and began to grind slowly against the candy princess. Bubblegum pulled Marceline ever closer to her, as the feeling of their clits bumping against each other slowly drew her to the edge. And it was so slow, so slow she felt like time wasn't moving at all, and for all she cared, it could have stopped. She would have been contented to stay with Marceline in this moment for forever. She was pulled from the thought, gasping loudly as the vampire ground harder into her, both their orgasms coming on unexpectedly, as always when they made love like this. They were so satisfied with just the feel of the other that when their pleasure mounted, it crashed over them like a sudden wave, drowning them in the feel of skin slick with sweat, bated breaths intermingling, and the pulsating feel of each other's pleasure thick between them. There were quiet cries from both

Their crash lasting long, slow, and deep, it took several moments for Marceline to fall heavily onto Bubblegum. The candy princess turned them both over and tucked herself firmly into Marceline's side as pale arms slipped around her in security. The vampire turned towards her prices in the night as Bubblegum pulled the sheets up and around them. "I love you so much, Bonnibel."

The girl squeezed into the vampire's side and whispered back, "I love you too." And the pair drifted off into sleep, not to wake up until late the next morning, wholly unwilling to remove themselves from each other's grasp.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**On the second day of Smutmas, My fanfic gave to me:  
>Two girls in love.<strong>

**(A little late and a little short, but oh well.)**

**-JD**


	36. Long Enough

Chapter 36: Long Enough

Her back slammed into the wall. "Grod I've been waiting all day for this…" The princess groaned at Marceline wasted no time in beginning to grab at a clothed chest. The candy girl had had a terrible day with the candy council, as they all began to rip into her for her rather inappropriate liaisons with a certain vampire. Contrary to their hopes of dissuading her away from the girl, it only made her crave Marceline more.

While sitting at the dull meeting filled with stuffy candy men and women who went on and on about improprieties and salacious behaviors, it had only made her think of various dirty deeds she and Marceline could partake of in the future. She had long since stopped listening when they got on about winter festivities and the meeting ended without any input from the princess herself, Peppermint Butler covering her lack of answer and glazed over look;

When Marceline had arrived that evening, she could see the arousal written all over her lover's face. Smirking, she had pinned the candy girl to the wall right then and there, without a second's thought as to which hall or where in the castle they were. Impatient and unwilling to undress the girl who so obviously craved her, Marceline simply snaked her tongue down the collar of Bubblegum's dress and under her bra to tease at a straining nipple. The candy girl gasped and mewled with abandon, not caring at this point who heard. "Fuck I love your tongue…" she grunted.

Marceline withdrew it for a moment, to the vocal displeasure of Bubblegum, and smirked, whispering, "Tell me about how you've waited…" she nipped at a collar bone before winding her tongue back down and around the candy girl's left nipple, circling it and tugging at it with the ever-flexible muscle. She grabbed at hips recklessly, surely bruising them with strained fingers.

"I—ah!" she gasped, as Marceline extended and even began to lick and tease at her belly button, "They were talking a-about salacious behaviors and…oh grod, more…Marci please!" she begged, as the vampire went back to teasing her chest.

"Tell me or I'll stop completely." She threatened, and Bubblegum was far too gone to even risk the possibility that her lover cease her actions.

"How—ah! How you w-were no—_good!_ Marci, fuck! And then…Ah! All I thought about was h-how you would…_Take me_, Marci, grod, oh fuck please!" She managed, gasping and groaning. She stopped speaking a moment too long and all motions on her ceased. She panted. "I j-j-just thought a-about us and…And fuck Marci I wanted you to take me _right there_! Right in front of them!" Marceline's hand has snaked its way under her dress and slowly peeled off a pair of deep red panties, a habit that had formed from dating the vampire. The devil grinned at the admission.

Just as long, dexterous fingers were about to enter her, a cry of, "**My lady?**" echoed down the hall. Quick as a whip, Marceline's hands and tongue were removed, panties shoved forcefully into her front pocket, backing a reasonable distance away from her other.

"You've got to be _kidding_ me…" the princess hissed, just as Lady rounded the corner.

"**My Lady!**" Rainicorn said as she neared the pair. "**You must come quickly! The Ice King has frozen Peppermint and refuses to thaw him lest you go to him!**"

Bubblegum sighed…knowing this was to be a long venture, without any underwear, and her thighs thoroughly soaked.

* * *

><p>"We—<em>fuck!—<em>should not be doing this!" Marceline panted against the princess' neck. Bubblegum only grinned, grabbing every bit of Marceline she could get her hands on. The grass was damp against the vampire's back.

The candy girl bit at bite marks as her hands found their way to Marceline's clothed breasts. There was far too much fabric in the way for her liking, but considering the situation, she'd have to make do. "You know how I get when you walk with your feet on the ground…" she said, as though to excuse her actions.

What had started out as just a nice leisurely walk for the two through Ooo had soon transformed into a test of restraint on Bubblegum's part, as the swing of Marceline's hips when walking drove her insane. The vampire was caught completely off guard when the candy princess pounced on her right in the middle of an open field. The girl ground her pelvis into Marceline's, excruciatingly happy that she'd decided to wear pants on their little walk, as it allowed for better momentum and access.

"Maybe I should walk more often…" the vampire teased through heavy breaths, as her hips rose and fell to meet Bubblegum's. Still, there was no way she'd finish like this, and both parties knew it. It was with welcome relief hat Marceline, eyes closed in anticipation, soon felt her pants being unbuttoned and zipped, leaving just enough room for a dainty hand to sneak its way into her underwear.

"I'd never be able to keep my hands off of you…my fingers out of you…would you like that, Marceline? For me to want to fuck you every moment I saw you? To grab you at every sway of your hips and bury my tongue in you?" The vampire whimpered at the dirty words as the candy princess teased at her folds, never giving her near enough to get where she needed to go.

It had been only yesterday when the two were in the same position as Lady burst in on their little foray in the hall. By the time the situation with the Ice King had been resolved, Bubblegum had been too tired to continue their earlier activities. Marceline had understood. But now, as Bubblegum heard Finn yell, "Hey!" his voice echoing across the field, she wondered how Marceline had been so graceful about the situation.

Here they were, on the brink of having amazing sex with the vampire, and she herself was fuming at the interruption, never mind how Marceline was feeling about it. Se fixed Marceline up and lay down next to her as Finn ran up, completely oblivious as usual. "Marceline I—what are you two doing?"

Bubblegum groaned out what she hoped was a groan of fake sleepiness and not of aggravation, recognizing that Marceline needed a moment to recover before she could do more than look at the human who had interrupted their oh-so-pleasurable but oh-so-unfinished tryst. "We got tired, we were taking a nap." She mumbled, hoping to send the boy off.

"Oh." He said simply, not leaving at all. "Marceline I need you to help me fight this dude! He goes all invisible and junk and you have magic eyes and Jake is off with the pups!"

The vampire blinked a moment, wanting nothing more than to send him off and get fucked into sweet oblivion. Realizing that the excuse had been a nap, and she was now awake, ad could therefore not just send the boy off with the excuse of being busy, she got up and said, "Yeah sure, Finn. We'll pound this guy into the next century."

* * *

><p>Finally, <em>finally<em>, they were alone, in the evening, in bed. There would be no interruptions as there had been the last few days. Finn, Jake, Lady, Candy Council, this emergency, that emergency…they had been interrupted too many times and too many ways and they had been wound up and up and up and enough was enough. As it so happened, over the past eight days, each time they had attempted to make love, they were interrupted.

But now, the door was locked; the passion was unhinged and they were so close to doing what each had been craving. Nothing could stand in their way. Clothes had been torn off; bruises had been made as neither paid attention on their journey to the bed. No foreplay was necessary, as the accumulation of need from past days left them more than ready at the clash of teeth and tongues.

Marceline wasted no time in thrusting three fingers into her lover, and Bubblegum did the same. They set a fast and furious pace, hell bent on getting off as quickly as possible, just to get the edge off, before going at it again and again. The tension was building as gasps and exclamations left one's mouth only to be swallowed by the other.

Jake's voice echoed through the door and their movements stopped. "PB? You promised to watch the pups so Lady and I could go out tonight."

Hell bent on at least getting her lover off, Marceline picked up her movements again, not caring at this point who heard what. "I—fuck, oh glob—yes Jake I—ah!—I'll be done in just-just one sec! _Yes_! One minute…oh glob just one…Ah!" the candy girl screamed as she reached climax.

"Oh…um…right…I'll just…yeah…" Jake said from the other side of the door, knowing full well what was going on. Bubblegum reddened as Marceline collapsed next to her and the princess hurried to get dressed.

"I'll get you back for that…" she said.

Marceline only smirked in challenge as she snaked her own hand down her body, hips undulating teasingly. "I hope that's a promise…" she said as she watched the candy girl's eyes hood over with desire. She gasped as her own fingers just traced her folds.

Bubblegum strode up to her. "Keep yourself ready for me…I'll be back in two hours, and if you've come, there'll be hell to pay, Vampire." She whispered into a pointed ear.

* * *

><p>When Bubblegum returned, she was pleased to discover that Marceline had heeded her command. Her thighs clenched at the sight of a sopping wet Marceline who was practically sobbing with need. The moment the door shut behind her, the vampire began to beg. "Please, Bonni, oh fuck, please…please let me come…fuck me…do something, anything! Fuck! Grod I need it! I-I-I can't take it anymore!"<p>

The candy girl's eyes widened at the amount of restraint the vampire had shown, teasing herself and not climaxing for two hours while she was babysitting (rather distractedly). Still, she never truly expected the vampire to complete her request so fully. She stood shock still as tears began to fall down the vampire's face, too far gone with need that it was hurting. "Bonni! Ah! Fuck me! Please, please, fuck me! I'll do anything! Anything!"

But Marceline didn't have to do anything more. Bubblegum stripped faster than she ever had and immediately thrust into her lover, sending her into a mind-numbing orgasm at the first touch. When she started moving inside, curling her fingers and finding that rough spot just the first time, Marceline spasmed around her once more, crying out in final release, tears of relief falling now. But Bubblegum didn't stop, determined to reward Marceline for her obedience.

She latched her mouth around a strained nipple and sucked, never stopping her motions, and reveled in the feel of Marceline against her at last. Her own need overflowing, she straddled Marceline's thigh and began to rub against it desperately, the feel of her lover more than enough to start the quick climb to oblivion. Marceline groaned at the sensation. "Bonni…fuck, oh grod…you're so fucking wet…"

Bubblegum only whined against her; and, as Marceline's legs tensed in her third orgasm, Bubblegum was sent into hers as well. Spent and beyond exhausted, the candy princess didn't even have the strength to remove herself from inside her lover. She merely collapsed; eyes closed and sleep already closing in.

"'Bout damn time…" she muttered.

"Seriously…took long enough…" came the tired response, and the two fell off into sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**On the third day of Smutmas, my fanfic gave to me:  
>Three crazy friends<strong>

**Bit late again...sorry. I'll try to catch up today. Also, as a side note, I've got the 12 Days of Smutmas all planned out. So...yeah all the days are written, just not the chapters. Thanks guys!**

**-JD**


	37. Anticipation

Chapter 37: Anticipation

"_I'm gonna fuck you."_

That stupid sentence, said at the beginning of the day, had been driving Princess Bubblegum mad. It wasn't as though Marceline had carried out on the promise right away, oh no. The flighty simply popped in when she woke, whispered the words, and then was gone again. Of course, she popped in and out, the previous night being one of the few she had spent in her own house. Why hadn't she moved in yet? But it was a promise; there was no doubt in the words themselves that Marceline most decidedly was going to fuck Bubblegum.

It was the when that was killing her. The slick voice saying those simple words had made her mind go fuzzy, and she was seriously wondering how she was ever going to successfully manage her kingdom if the two kept on in this fashion. Ever since their relationship had become open, if not widely accepted, the two really couldn't keep their hands off each other. Declarations like this didn't help things besides.

"_I'm gonna fuck you."_

Honestly it wasn't even a proper sentence. 'Gonna,' honestly, it was as though the vampire was trying to cut down to as few words as possible. Yet, here Bubblegum was, sitting and listening to the mundane gripes of her citizens and finding herself wholly preoccupied with the questions of _when_ and _how_ and _where_ floating around in the forefront of her mind. Subconsciously, she knew she was doing a decent job, as she practically ran on auto-pilot when it came to her kingdom, but she wasn't doing near as good a job as she had done. Back when she just forced hate for the girl, casting her out of her mind whenever the vampire appeared. She cringed. Better ruler, worse person…that was the trade off on that one.

She thought about how good Marceline would look with her head buried between her legs as she sat on the throne she was in. A wonderfully submissive version of Marceline that she could achieve on special occasions. She thought about the whispers of 'my princess,' or even 'my queen' that might fall from pale lips. She really ought to keep thoughts like that out of her mind.

"_I'm gonna fuck you."_

The candy people had come and gone and to Bubblegum's despair, it was still only noon. She tried to force away her arousal that hadn't left since the morning, but all that did was made her think about it. Marceline had pleasured her so many ways, she shouldn't have been surprised when she still found the girl exciting and new and pleasurable. The years of being together should have dulled her to the affects the vampire had on her. However, as time went on, she found herself fumbling and beyond aroused whenever Marceline felt like making so. It made her feel fifteen all over again.

"_I'm gonna fuck you."_

The words rang out in her mind as she walked down the hall to her council meeting. Would she just pop in, have her way, and then pop out again? The candy princess wouldn't put it past her. Marceline did tend to have her lewder moments. Obviously this was one of those times. Suffice to say that no matter how she vocally protested her lover's habits and distastefulness, Bubblegum simply, utterly, completely enjoyed crass Marceline; on occasion, of course.

She passed a dim hallway and imagined the vampire pulling her in, fucking her against a wall, leaving pale marks of territory all over her skin for the council to gape and sneer at as she only smiled in post-orgasmic bliss. But the hall came and went; and still, Marceline did not appear. Furthermore, the imagining of the event had only caused Bubblegum's panties to become even stickier with arousal. Damn her vivid imagination. She wondered if she should change her underwear, but realized soon enough that one pair a day was enough to be ruined.

Her brief journey to the council room complete, the old parrots squawked on as if she hadn't even entered. Still, she took her place at the head of the table and settled everyone down for the beginning of the official meeting. They began to address taxes, which she wanted to lower. It wasn't as though she needed the money. The Candy Kingdom was self-sustaining for the main part, and most, if not all, collected taxes funneled right back into the populous, so why not just let them keep it in the first place? The council had other opinions on the matter.

"_I'm gonna fuck you."_

Bubblegum briefly wondered just how far Marceline would go with the promise. She zoned out completely with the thought of the vampire flying in, ripping off her clothes, and taking her right there on the oblong table in front of all these ridiculous geezers who probably didn't even know the princess was 'sexually active' as they would so call it. Hadn't she asked that of Marceline once? For her to just sweep in and take her? Bubblegum felt her face heat at the thought, thoroughly unaware of her little voyeuristic fantasy until this very moment.

She gulped at the thought, breath growing erratic just at the idea of having all these people watch as her lover claimed her so primally, so completely, so possessively. At that moment, she hadn't the heart to be embarrassed by herself, and simply wished Marceline would carry out her promise right then and there. She didn't think she'd ever been so anxious for her lover. She wiggled in her seat, rubbing her thighs together in a fruitless attempt to relieve some of the growing tension between her legs. The candy council screeched on and on, but in the end she lowered taxes anyway. They just wanted bigger pay checks.

"_I'm gonna fuck you."_

She went down to her lab, going back to one of the unsolvable problems she loved to fixate her mind on when she needed distracting. However, even the never-ending circle of Zanoits and Plantoids killing each other and her otherwise fruitless effort as to find out which the dominant organism was, and how two such things could evolve side by side, could not dissuade her from her thoughts of Marceline.

So she decided to visit Finn and Jake in the tree house. She never truly forgot that it belonged to Marceline, and still found the occupation of it slightly jarring. Or perhaps it was the general demeanor of the boys themselves that threw her. True, Marceline acted more childish than either of them on occasion, but there was a depth to her, a severity, that never truly went away. It was always something with Marceline.

As she made her way to the tree house, Bubblegum wondered again if Marceline was willing to take her out in the open, right on the field, right where just anyone could she. She shook her head, trying to rid the scandalous thoughts from her mind, which simply would not let the fantasy go. She walked up to their door and knocked, only to receive no answer. Deciding she had nothing better to do, the princess opened the door to wait for them to return. She glanced around the cluttered dirty main room, and sat on the couch. BMO was nowhere to be found, but she didn't mind. A breeze passed through the room.

"Have you been waiting?" That same slick that had teased her this morning whispered in her ear.

Bubblegum didn't turn around, only closed her eyes and moaned. "Yes…"

She could practically feel the smirk radiating of the older girl. "Tell me about it."

The candy princess gasped as a long tongue traced her neck just the way she liked. "I thought about you taking me on my throne. Th-then pulling me into a hall and t-taking me against a wall…th-then again on the council table claiming me…and on the plains…" she sighed out as the vampire teased again at her neck.

Marceline swept around to float in a sitting position in front of the girl. "My, my, my…voyeur fantasies…who knew? Our prim and proper princess wants to be fucked for the world to see." All of a sudden, Marceline was on her, breathing in her ear. "I don't care what fantasies you've got…you are only for _my_ eye, do you understand?" She growled possessively, ripping a big horizontal strip from Bubblegum's dress, making it go from just below the knee length to high thigh.

The princess gasped at the ferocity, a new wave of arousal coursing through her and adding to the uncomfortable dampness of her panties. "I want to see…" She whispered in a hot pink ear, and pulled away to a distance to see all of her princess.

"But…you said you would…" Bubblegum moaned, even as her hand snaked its way down her torso and up between her thighs, pushing the torn dress the little bit it needed to go to get to her arousal.

"Oh I will, promise…" She said slyly. "But show me first. How you touch yourself. Just thinking of me. Getting off on me." The words only egged the pent-up princess on. She moaned as she just teased her outer folds over her underwear. "Take them off, now." Came the command. "I want to see." The vampire repeated, and Bubblegum was all too ready to comply, teasingly pulling the panties down slim legs to toss blindly as Marceline.

Trailing her fingers back up to where she needed them, Bubblegum groaned. "Grod, Marci…I'm so wet for you…" She managed a glance at her distracted vampire.

"Tell me about it." If Marceline had been sitting on a seat, instead of floating in the air, she would have been right at the edge of it.

Teasing her own folds, Bubblegum continued, getting off of the feeling of Marceline's eyes watching, taking her all in. She always loved when Marceline looked at her during. "Ever since—this morning…I'm soaked…fuck, Marci, you feel so good!" she cried out as she teased her clit. It was the vampire, always. "I—I could have easily gone through…ah…th-three pairs of panties…oh grod…Marceline…oh fuck!" she cried out, slipping one finger inside herself, knowing she wouldn't come from it. She wanted Marceline to hold on to that promise.

The thought briefly passed that Finn and Jake could walk in any moment. It only furthered her bliss, and she was too far gone for shame. "Oh grod…Marci…you—glob—you're so good." She gasped, moving her finger in a slow rhythm. She was hoping to get Marceline to come and touch her. She craved it. She needed it. "I just…oh glob…need more…Marceline please!" she arched her back off the couch into the air, and the vampire lost all resolve.

She lunged at the princess, ripping the teasing hand away, only to plunge her tongue deep, deep into the candy girl, a cry of satisfaction ripping at Bubblegum's vocal chords. The candy girl's fingers automatically gripped onto wild hair, pulling her in, in, in. And she was close, already, so, so close. Marceline could feel the contractions around her tongue as she moved it in and out and deeper and deeper. "Marci…oh grod…oh Marcie right _there_!" So the vampire hit there, that place so far inside Bubblegum her fingers could never reach, again and again. The sweet, sweet tang of her lover flooding her every sense.

With one final flick of her tongue against that spot, her tongue got stuck for a moment in a fierce grip as her lover came with a wordless shout. As her tongue was released, Marceline withdrew and gingerly slipped on the princess' underwear. Bubblegum cringed slightly at the sensitivity, before beginning to collect her breath.

"You're gorgeous, you know…gorgeous to look at." Marceline said reverently, moving a loose strand of hair behind Bubblegum's ear. The candy girl smiled her thanks, and the two sat close for a moment, holding hands.

Finn and Jake came in a few minutes later ranting on about some monster-beast they'd fought and Finn was pleased as punch to hang out with the two ladies, completely unaware as to what had happened on the couch.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**On the fourth day of Smutmas, my fanfic gave to me:  
>Four dirty words.<strong>

**(I'm all caught up and on the right day! I'm also impressed I've managed to keep up with this...)**

**-JD**


	38. Like That

Chapter 38: Like That

Bubblegum stared at it as it sat on her bed. She'd never used it before, but Marceline was just in a habit of leaving it lying around. _I mean, how does someone even conceive of this…let alone get one? _Now normally, she'd shove it under her mattress for the vampire to retrieve at her leisure. However, as her day had ended early, and nightfall was not far off, she'd just figured she'd pull it out in advance. _Just in case Marceline wants to use it…_

At least, that's what she'd told herself. Yet, here she was, eyes hooded, breath already raspy, desire flooding her every nerve ending. And no matter what she'd tried to convince herself of, it most definitely was not because she'd imagined Marceline using it on her…not this time. Oh no. in fact, she'd had more than vivid fantasies of using in on Marceline. It had brought her such pleasure, and she'd been satisfied with that. Yet, as she stared at it on the bed, she could just _see_ the vampire screaming out all sorts of things as _she_ plowed into the vampire.

She gulped. _Would she even let me though? I mean…I never have before. Though it isn't as if she hasn't been with a boy so…_she cringed. She really did hate thinking about that. She was a thousand years old but that didn't make her have to like it any more. The sun was setting outside her window, she had to think fast. When she thought about it, there were two options. One: ask her if she could use it. Or two: spring it on her.

The more Bubblegum considered these, the more and more she wanted to simply take Marceline, no warnings, no precursor, and no fight for power. She found her thighs clenching at the thought, her body deciding for her. Glancing at the rapidly decreasing light, she quickly discarded her clothes and slipped the thing on, fiddling with it until it fit her and touched her _just right._ She moved to wait next to the balcony doors, which were open and Marceline's main method of entry. She knew, _knew_, that if she gave the vampire a moment to speak of see her, she'd lose her nerve completely and turn into a bumbling mess.

And that wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to dominate, simple as that, and Ooo be damned if the girl she wanted to dominate was going to stop her. Marceline floated in (nix the axe bass, thank glob) whistling some random tune. Wasting no time, she grabbed Marceline from behind, her left hand covering a fanged mouth while her right hand trailed immediately up the vampire's tank top and _oh glob she isn't wearing a bra._

Bubblegum considered the muffled groan that came from the girl a sign of good faith, though she hadn't revealed she was wearing exactly what she was wearing. She quickly divested Marceline of her top, keeping her turned away, and relished in the breathy gasp the vampire took as her hand left her mouth for just a moment. She trailed her hands down pale arms, placing hot open-mouthed kisses over Marceline's neck and shoulder. Her hands met Marceline's and she entwined their fingers, her hands on the outside.

She placed their hands on Marceline's hips, letting the girl decide if she wanted what Bubblegum was giving, and ground her hips into the vampires for the first time. "_Fuck…_B-Bubblegum!" she choked out, and the candy princess was sure she'd never heard Marceline sound quite as sexy as she did just then. The girl bit hard at Marceline, taking it as a go-ahead. She released the girl's hands and began to trail her own down into the vampire's pants. She gasped, quickly unbuttoning and zipping them.

"M-Marceline…" she managed, voiced laden with want. _No underwear._ Suffice to say, the two had the same thing on their mind for that evening. Her fingers teased all around Marceline's want and glob if she'd ever been this wet before. Bubblegum's hips ground again into the vampire, and she whimpered. She kept rocking.

"L-let me see…" Marceline managed. "P-please…"

Bubblegum's movements hitched for a moment, nervousness flooding her mind. But she trusted the girl, and Marceline had yet to laugh. "Okay…" she whispered, closing her eyes.

Marceline, sensing the girl's hesitation, turned around quickly but went cheek-to-cheek with the pink girl, her right hand trailing down to tug at it. Bubblegum groaned as the harness hit her just right. "Fuck…Bonni…you're so fucking hard for me." She whimpered. Bubblegum's eyes shot open, a breath escaping her as Marceline trailed her tongue lightly over a sweaty neck. _That was the right thing to say._

"Bed." The vampire sighed, and, sensing Bubblegum's want of control, let the candy girl lead them to lie down, she on the bottom, her lover on top.

Bubblegum looked at Marceline, mess of hair, blushing cheeks, bated breath. Gulping and un willing to waste time, she quickly grabbed the hard plastic and trailed it up and down Marceline, coating it in the girl's arousal. Marceline's hands flew to her shoulders, gripping tight. "Bonni…p-please…" the candy girl pushed in just a little, getting used to the feel of it, the different way of moving her hips. An irritated groan left Marceline's mouth. "Grod…Bonnie…don't make me fucking wait."

So she didn't. Bubblegum pushed all the way in one fell swoop; face hot with the sight of herself going into Marceline. The vampire screamed, and she stilled, feeling like it was the right thing to do. Marceline breathed heavy for a few moments, and Bubblegum wanted _so much_ to move. Still, she waited, and with whimper of "Fuck Bonni…you-you're so _deep_." She moved.

It was a weird motion, one her hips weren't used to, but as she lifted Marceline's thighs up against her own and _ground_, they both let out a choked noise and Marceline a gasp of "Oh _Bonni_…"

And Marceline was being very vocal. The motion was hitting Bubblegum perfectly for friction, leaving bated breaths and gasps and moans. But every time she went _just so far_, Marceline spoke. "There! Oh Fuck, Bonni, there!" She picked up the pace, the sound of skin on skin and that delicious rubbing driving her crazy. "Bonni, you're s-so fucking good! So fucking de—ep! Oh, shit! Ah!" Marceline's hands moved, one on her head, tangling angrily in hair, the other across her back to pull her chest-to-chest. "You f-feel so good in me!

Bubblegum drove harder, getting closer and closer, cries and words from Marceline driving her on, though her thighs and back burned with the strain of it all. "M-Marceline…glob…I'm…s-so close…" She whimpered, unwilling to finish without her partner.

"Fuck…oh _glob_, oh _fuck_! B-Bonni…M-me too! Ah!" Bubblegum picked up the pace again, shocked at her own stamina. "Bonni! Ah! Oh fuck, Bonni I'm gonna come!"

And as her hips fought to release her pleasure, she muttered, "Me too…Marci…"

Fingertips dug into her right shoulder, breaking skin. "I-in me! Oh fuck, Bonni, come inside me!" With those words, she pulled all the way out then pushed all the way back in _hard_ as she came, and so did Marceline, her hips rocking subconsciously to prolong her own orgasm and, naturally, Marceline's too. Fingernails dragged angrily all the way across her back, leaving five long, angry red lines which felt _so good_ now, but she knew would feel terrible later. Right now though, she collapsed heavily on Marceline, and didn't really care.

Gasping heavily, and unwilling to disconnect from being with Marceline so intimately, she just stayed there, basking in the feel of her lover who held her. "What brought that on?"

"I-I felt like it…Like loving you like that." She admitted sheepishly.

Marceline smirked. "Love me like that again sometime."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**On the fifth day of Smutmas, my fanfic gave to me:  
>Five lines that sting.<strong>

**Cutting it a bit close. Sorry. Starting college/new job. **

**-JD**


	39. First Time, Every Time

Chapter 39: First Time, Every Time

The young candy girl pounced on Marceline just as soon as she came floating through the balcony window. Given the fact that the two could hardly be together, Bubblegum's passion and desire doused by the overbearing 'principle of responsibility' and 'sacrifices must be made' and blah, blah, blah, it was a pleasantly rare occasion when the two got 'alone time' as the princess had been too abashed to call it what it was. Marceline, on the other hand, called it what it was. They rarely had time for sex. _And there is nothing quite so crazed as a sixteen-year-old who's just been exposed._ Marceline smirked at her own inner dialogue.

However glad she was on this day to be attacked by her secret lover, she couldn't shake the deep grumbling feeling of _hunger. _And not the sexual kind._ Grod, I'm so hungry I could eat a tree full of apples. _She groaned, and Bubblegum mistook it for sexual pleasure, which Marceline was receiving in abundance. The moment the vampire came in, she had peppered her neck in love bites and kisses, pawing wildly at the black tee shirt that kept that smooth, smooth skin from her hands.

She had already taken the liberty of stripping to just about nothing before Marceline arrived, not quite confident enough yet to wait naked. After all, the vampire was just so physically prime, how could the curvy candy girl ever compare? At least, that was how she felt. She ripped the shirt off ad thanked the Cosmic Owl that Marceline didn't (probably had been too lazy to) wear a bra that day. She dragged the taller girl to the bed and laid herself beneath the vampire, nipping and teasing at everything her hands and mouth could reach.

"B-Bonni…ah…w-wait…" Marceline said. _Oh glob…oh man that sweet shade of pink and I could just—no! Won't bite…_ Bubblegum, more comfortable now that they were in bed, removed her bra to the utter satisfaction of the vampire. _So smooth…oh man and so soft! I could nip right into that…_

"Don't want to wait." Bubblegum sighed, pulling Marceline up to her mouth for a passionate kiss, her tongue tracing fangs dangerously, unaware of Marceline's hunger. _If I bit a little…Ugh! No! Bad, vampire, bad!_

"Bonni I don't want to wait either but…" She let out a cry as the princess bit her collar bone (in an unknown parallel to what Marceline was thinking of doing) and forcefully removed her pants as far as she could. Marceline's body decided to shimmy the rest of the way out of them of its own accord, and the vampire could feel Bubblegum's readiness on her thigh, her mouth watering in a heady feel of hunger and desire. She wasn't sure she could tell the two apart anymore. Bubblegum rocked her hips into her currently-hands-free lover, wondering what Marceline's problem was. The vampire would usually be all over the situation.

Still, she could see the want in Marceline's eyes, tinted with something a little deeper, a little darker. Bubblegum assumed that the girl was just holding back wild passion, and she was damned determined to get whatever it was out. She slipped her hand quickly down Marceline's front and into thoroughly soaked panties, teasing at her folds. "B-Bonni! Ah! S-So…I-I can't…" the vampire tried to manage, a little too far gone to even try to explain, but try she did in spite of herself. "H-H-Hold on…" she managed, and Bubblegum, for all her cleverness, did just that.

She cupped Marceline fully, and the vampire arched away from her for just a moment. Right before Marceline swooped in, she saw that other thing in Marceline's eyes take over. The vampire completely lost it to her hunger, senses all but blinded in search of that lovely shade of pink. Her fangs subconsciously extended a little farther than normal and she bit, hard. That hunger slowly being sated by her lover's color. It took her a long moment to realize Bubblegum had screamed at the motion, and was bucking and clawing at her wildly. Her face paled as she pulled away like she'd been burned.

Bubblegum lay panting and red (save for that spot at her pulse point) and Marceline scrambled for words. "Oh glob, oh crap, oh man, Bonni? Bonni are you okay? Oh glob I tried to tell you, I swear I did! I'm so sorry! I just hadn't eaten and—" She was cut off by a hard kiss. Her eyes opened in shock as Bubblegum stayed a moment then pulled away.

"Do it again…" She begged, her desire bringing her voice to a squeaky peal of need. Marceline stared for a moment, before leaning in to suck on an overly-aroused nipple. She pealed Bubblegum's panties off and teased at outer folds before biting into the princess' left breast, leaving a small patch of grey in her wake and a new gush of arousal on her palm. Determined to keep things fair, she moved over to the other side of Bubblegum's chest and bit at the underside of that one, leaving a little bit of a bigger mark, each nip and tease leaving the candy girl writhing, squirming, body begging for more. "Marci! Please!" she cried, the only two words she could manage.

The vampire moved down, leaving a small spot right above her belly button, still not entering the girl beneath her. Pulling away completely, she kissed and nipped at Bubblegum's entire leg, not draining any color on her ascension. Just as she got to the very top of the girl's right thing, she bit deeply and drained her fervently. While Bubblegum's cry of pain (pleasure) still ripped from the princess' throat, she entered with three fingers, pumping wildly.

Bubblegum gripped at her head, pulling an electric mouth to exactly where she wanted it. A deft tongue slid expertly over folds, teasing at that one spot that was quickly, and all-too-soon, sending the pink girl over the edge. Sensing Bubblegum's readiness, and steeling herself for a possibly bad outcome, Marci took that little bud in between her teeth and bit.

The cry that echoed through the room lasted for what seemed like an eternity, Bubblegum's orgasm lasting an unbelievable amount of time. Marceline rose as the throes of passion died out, leaving just the tiniest grey spot from where she had bitten. Looking down at the princess in anticipation, she gulped. _At least I'm not hungry anymore…_

Bubblegum forced her eyelids open. "That was the first time you…drank…from me." She managed. The vampire simply nodded. "You should do that…every time…" She sighed. Once her composure returned to her, she flipped the relieved vampire over, determined to return the favor.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**On the sixth day of Smutmas, my fanfic gave to me:  
>Six spots a-greying.<strong>

**I'll update again later tonight because I missed last night (sorry). Also, _Guest_ wanted the first color-suck. Yay!**

**-JD**


	40. It

Chapter 40: It

There was only one thing in the entire universe that Marceline was one hundred, without a doubt, from here to the Night-O-Sphere and back again completely sure about and this was it. Bubblegum sat across from her, their monthly midnight picnic a tradition since always, or at least that's how it felt. _She's stunning…a vision._

And she was. The moon shone low in the sky close to the horizon, and the Princess was eclipsing it, heavy clouds parting _just so_. The field they chose hummed with the anticipation of a summer storm, and the wind sung softly, making sure it had room to crescendo. The stray light of the moon was the only thing penetrating the darkness. _All in all it's my kind of night. _Bubblegum sat across from her, smiling lightly, used to Marceline's staring. She wore a light sweater to comply with the lateness of the hour, and there was a slight wind-blush coloring her cheeks almost to red. _Never would I have thought that I could be so entranced by one person._

Bubblegum flushed and looked away. "You're giving me that look, Marceline…" she hummed, and her voice flowed into the rustling leaves, over the hills and into the vampire's heart.

Shaken from her reverie, Marceline started. "Huh? Oh…what look?"

Bubblegum managed a glance up at the girl across from her. "The one that makes me want to do anything for you, ya goof." She said. Marceline smiled softly. _She says it like it's the most obvious thing in the world. _ And she could refuse it up one side and down the other, but she cherished how straight-forward Bubblegum was. How she never had to second-guess what she meant unless the vampire herself was over-thinking it. Sure, it led to arguments, which then led to amazing make-up sex. What wasn't to love?

"You know, Marci…I think this is the same place we had our first picnic." Bubblegum glanced around, taking in her kingdom in the distance, the trees to one side, and the rolling fields surrounding them. "In fact, I'm quite sure of it. I remember everything about that night. I wanted to do 'something bad' if you recall…" And her laugh lit the heavens themselves.

Marceline chuckled. _Of course I remember…how could I ever forget that? 'Sides, it wasn't as if I picked this spot on purpose or anything. _She could feel that tiny square of 'forever, I promise' in the breast pocket of her blazer. _It's perfect. The perfect night, the perfect place, and her…she's it. She's it for me. I'm going to look at her once, say her name, reach into my pocket and just say what I__‒_

"Marceline?" Bubblegum asked, interrupting the vampire's train of thought.

"Yes, my princess?" came the quick response, a gulp lying heavy in her throat. She had been _so close_ to just doing it. She was ready. They were ready. They were it. They were the kind of love people wrote romantic novels about.

"Well I…that is to say I'm…" She cleared her throat, thunder rumbled in the distance, Marceline sat, patient as ever for Bubblegum to find just the right words, and she began again, resolute. "Marceline. You are made of different stuff. People look at us, I look at us, and we are as different as the sun and the moon. But people don't _know_ us. They don't know _you_. How could they know you feel electrifying? That your skin is like worn pages? That you smell like star dust and a million years of amazing things?

"I know. I know these things. And good grod, Marci, it's like we're two sides of the same coin. Like we're two elements in the most amazing solution‒one so perfect, you couldn't separate us again if you had all the science in the world and I just…" Tears shone, catching a stray bolt of lightning that cracked the sky, cracked her heart wide open. Her voice had risen as the wind picked up, hair flowing freely. Neither of them noticed. "You're it, for me Marceline. Do you understand? You're _it_."

And while Marceline wasn't looking, while she was far too captivated by the passion flowing from the one person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, Bubblegum had pulled a tiny box from her pants pocket. The princess dared to look right into Marceline as she opened the box, and shouted over the wind, "Marry me."

And the sky split, joining in on the symphony that was becoming their love song. The wind howling fierce and true, the creaking of limbs and rustling of leaves in the distance, the lightning and thunder dancing with one another across the landscape, and the constant drumming and snaring of rain against forests and kingdoms and hills and puddles already forming.

And Marceline was at a loss for words. She stared at Bubblegum through dripping eyelashes for just a moment before standing and yelling back "You can't propose to me!"

Bubblegum kept her hand out, refusing silently to take back her demand, and in right princess form it hadn't been a question. She stood. "Why not?"

Marceline grasped at words. "Because…because I'm a monster! And I'm no good for you! And I can't do anything right! And…and…And I was going to propose to you first!" She concluded, fumbling around in her flapping coat to grasp at the little box. She yanked it out as proof to show to her lover. "See?!"

Bubblegum looked at it once, then to Marceline, and began to laugh and laugh, the vampire soon joining her. "Does this mean you will?"

"Of course, you idiot! Now let's get out of this storm!"

* * *

><p>They had flown as quickly as they could back to the Candy Kingdom and straight into Bubblegum's room. Marceline took the liberty of closing and locking the balcony doors and shutting the drapes as her princess shivered audibly and quickly shed her clothes, dropping her little box on her desk before doing so. The vampire sauntered to the desk and put hers there as well.<p>

"Ohhh, Glob! It's freezing! How could I have missed the rain? Grod, it's like it wasn't even there and then I was sitting there waiting for you to answer and that was the only thing in the universe and‒oh…"

While the ever-so-sweet Candy Princess had been trailing off, the ever-so-sly vampire queen had lost her clothes as well, and floated silently behind her lover, pulling herself flush with pink skin. Peppering silky kisses along rain-scented skin, she whispered, "You know, Bonnibel…we're engaged now…"

And Bubblegum, knees weak, eyes fluttering at the shyness of the kisses she was being given, managed a breathy, wanton, "Y-yes…"

Marceline lifted her easily, snaking her hands up the damp flesh of hips and stomach, "And you beat me to the punch of asking…" she barely grazed a breast as she turned the princess around and laid her on the bed.

"Yes!" Bubblegum managed to force past her lips, gasping in air as though Marceline's touch and words had stolen it from her. And it was such a light touch. Barely there, even. And the vampire looked down at her flushed girlfriend…_no, fiancée…_and couldn't have been more filled with love and lust and happiness and a million other things that words will never and can never say.

"So don't you think," a kiss to the belly button, "My dear," to the ribs, "That it's my turn to go first?" to the neck.

As feather-light finger tips danced heaven and earth across her body, Bubblegum's lust-hazy mind cleared enough space for a stunted sentence. "But…oh grod, but…isn't this…me? Going first?"

And Marceline only chuckled because no…this was definitely Marceline going first; and as she traced nails down fevered skin and Bubblegum took a sharp breath, her chest jumping up that little bit in desire for her touch, for something, for anything, for more, the vampire imagined that the Candy Princess knew that. Unable as ever to deny the girl below her anything, Marceline indulged herself in the request Bubblegum's body had all but shouted at her. Her hand found purchase on an already-heaving chest as she squeezed and rolled a taut nipple between two fingers.

She placed her head against the reassurance of a heartbeat, reveling in the feel of Bubblegum's skin, and the soft sighs of "Oh…Marci…!" She shifted up, so that she was cheek-to-cheek with the candy girl, wanting to be closer still and closer forever. Marceline let out an audible breath as her thigh came in contact with Bubblegum and she was simply dripping.

"Bonni…" she whispered, nipping and licking all up and down the column of her lover's neck, drawing just the littlest bits of pink from the skin. And for her part, Bubblegum gasped and jumped and clenched in anticipation of Marceline's love. The vampire didn't wait long (patience wasn't her strong suit) and trailed a deft hand down to where Bubblegum needed it as she positioned herself over a strong thigh.

Marceline ran her fingers through Bubblegum's wetness, feeling her as though for the first time. Every time was just as amazing, and the reverence with which she touched her princess never escaped either of them. She pushed two long fingers into her lover, shifting herself against Bubblegum's leg at the same time, bringing matching gasps from the two. As Marceline slowly, wonderfully, began to move steadily, losing herself in the sensation, she knew, _knew_ that there would never be enough. That in moments like this, she'd always want more. More skin, more sounds, more feeling, more Bubblegum. And as the scattered ideas struck her love-addled mind, she went faster, as though that would cause her to be in and on and around Bubblegum all at the same time.

Bubblegum gripped harshly at Marceline's shoulders as she was given everything she'd ever dreamed of. The feel of Marceline against her leg only adding to her own pleasure. The sighs of her lover in her ear pulling matching ones from herself. They were everything together. When Marceline felt Bubblegum fluttering around her fingers, she picked up again, knowing that she herself was close. And with a gasp and a cry and the sweet promise of this night and every night in the sound of each other's names on their lips, they fell over the edge together.

As they regained their breath, Marceline began to pull out but a soft cry of, "Don't. Stay," and a hand on her wrist had her cuddling up and inside her lover for the night.

"It has special properties, you know…the ring I got you…" she whispered as the Candy Princess began to drift to sleep. "It will let you know if I'm all right…if I'm alive while I'm away and…" Marceline glanced down at the now-asleep, smiling, satisfied girl who had nuzzled into her neck. "And I'll tell you about it tomorrow."

Because they had tomorrow. And every day after that.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**I punched my block on this fic in the face. Also, it's been a while since I've written smut (anything) and I hope it was okay.**

**Review and Suggest, as always! (If you feel like it.)**

**I haven't really been keeping track of suggestions but I had _Shadow_ and _Ailoncha_ as wanting their marriage/ceremony (I'll get there, promise) and _BlueLarva, guest, _and _Tree-Line _as wanting some lovey-dovey fluff stuff, and I think this counts. If not, let me know! **

**Signing off for now but not forever,**

**-JD**


	41. Permission

Chapter 41: Permission

The candy princess gulped thickly, her own fear clogging the passage to her stomach. _It's fine, everything is just dandy and will be totally cool and all that bunk._ Well, at least that's what she tried to convince herself. She remembered that she once read a book on handling stress, but of course couldn't remember what the book said about relieving it right at the moment. She was very, very unused to stress. She was in control. Calm, cool and collected. Always.

Well, almost always. Because right now, staring at the face she had drawn on the wall, incantation on the tip of her tongue, bug juice in her right hand, she felt neither cool nor calm, and collected was not a word she'd use to describe herself. _Marceline is going to kill me when she finds out...if I'm not already dead by then…_

But, being of a singular mind and with a purpose in her heart, she tossed the bug juice and said the incantation. As the wall split open and the heat from the demon flames of the Night-O-Sphere permeated the air of her room, she steeled herself for the maelstrom that was sure to come. After all, Hunson Abadeer hadn't been exactly friendly during her last visit...and Marceline wasn't there to protect her this time.

She stepped through, and the stench of whatevers and shouldn't-bes burning and waiting in line and doing glob knows what immediately filled her nostrils. _The stench wasn't this bad last time...what in Ooo is going on..._Taking a glance around, she realized exactly what was going on. She wasn't in the Lord of Evil's house. She was somewhere else, entirely. There were craggy mountains in the distance, and the cliff she stood upon had cracks that steamed with something she couldn't even begin to describe. _How does anything live here?_ The cries of some poor souls emanated from below her, and she dared not look down for fear of what she would see if she did. A monster walked past with half of a body missing. She felt like vomiting, and her skin paled considerably.

She turned around, expecting the portal to still be there and open; she could pop back through and pretend like she never even had the notion of visiting the Night-O-Sphere without Marceline, or visiting at all for that matter. But, as these things usually go, the portal had closed up behind her, leaving her stranded in one of the worst places to be stranded. After all, she wasn't an adventurer or a hero; she was a princess for Grod's sake!

_Well...I'm stuck...okay...that's nice._ Just as the panic set in, a rather small demon passed by. Thinking it best to ask someone who wasn't as imposing as the other things that flew around and walked in the peripheral vision she was actively avoiding for directions, she swallowed her fear of the tiny red man with the horns twice as big as his body, and approached. "H-hello um….sir? I'm a...foreign dignitary from a far distant land and I seek audience with his Lordship of Evil, Hunson Abadeer." She smiled at herself, pleased with how that had sounded. At least she had managed to get a full sentence out.

The demon looked at her, opened its mouth far too wide, and screeched. If his own howl hadn't drowned out all other noise, the shriek of the Candy Princess would have been heard as well. After all, it isn't like you see into a demon in the Night-O-Sphere every day. But, before she even had time to turn and run in fear of her very sweet life, a blood-mist cloud descended upon her and swallowed her into its essence.

She tried not to breath. Her eyes burned. It tasted like copper. It smelled like death. Was it death? Had she died? Was she on her way to death? How long had passed? Had time passed at all? Then, without warning, she was dropped onto a hard surface and gasped for the slightly cleaner air. The blood mist cloud moved to the center of the room and reformed itself into the ever-poised Lord of Evil himself.

"So...Princess...what brings you to my humble realm?" His voice was smooth, with a distinct tone of danger edging it. He was just as terrifying as last time, if not more so. Marceline wasn't there. She was on her own, and his joints clicked in and out of unnatural positions as he busied himself with pouring a drink.

She coughed out what was left of her rather unfortunate trip and stood on wobbly, fear-ridden legs. "I-I-I'd l-like to a-ask you a question, your Lordship." She curtsied, and realized after she had done so that that was probably the most ridiculous thing she could have done in that moment.

He affirmed this by laughing at the gesture. "Oh? And do tell me, what would a sugar cube like you want from a guy like me? You already have my daughter...and unless you're willing to join her in her eternal curse, I don't see how I could be of assistance."

Bubblegum straightened up, smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress the best that she could, and cleared her throat. As she opened her mouth to speak, the ready-made speech she had flew out the window. A strange croaking sound bubbled up from the back of her throat and she stood frozen. The demon before her laughed that slick laugh again and walked towards her. "If you can't speak, I'll just nibble on your soul until you scream."

"I'd like to marry your daughter!" she yelled, eyes closed and fists clenched. Hearing no response, she continued unscripted. "I'd like to marry your daughter and traditionally speaking, in all of the texts I've read, the suitor first asks permission of the father for the hand, which of course is an archaic ritual representing the passing of ownership and if anyone owns Marceline, it's Marceline but I didn't know if you still stood by those norms or if you knew those norms at all but I figured I'd cover my bases just in case because I love her and I don't want any surprises if word got back around to you from someone else and I'd just really like to marry your daughter!"

She opened her eyes, and noticed the barely-contained smile slowly forcing its way onto Hunson's face. When he bellowed out a laugh, the whole Night-O-Sphere seemed to quake, and she let out a quiet eep. It was a belly-aching laugh that might have put her at ease if it had come from, say, Starchy; but coming from the Lord of Evil, it was nothing but fear-and-panic inducing. He wiped a stray tear from his eye.

"Well, can't say I was expecting that one. Can two girls even get married?"

Bubblegum nodded mutely, and prayed her life wouldn't end right then and there as Marceline's dad studied her for a long moment, as though deciding her fate like a flip of a coin: to eat, or not to eat? "If you hurt her, you will wish you were never born." he mentioned casually, earning another nod from the frightened-to-the-bone Princess.

"I would never again." Bubblegum managed, in such a high-pitched tone that she didn't know she could make.

Hunson leveled one final gaze at her. "You know, if she found out you had asked for permission from me, she'd flay you alive. But I can keep a secret if you can." he stated, looking at her pointedly.

Bubblegum stared at him. "Is that a...a yes?"

He laughed again. "I hope you got all the paperwork to return home Princess, usually people don't just walk in and out of the Night-O-Sphere." he said, and waved his hand at a nearby wall, a fissure opening revealing her sweet, sorely missed, wonderfully pink bedroom. She took a step towards it, having filed the paperwork months ago in preparation. As she stepped through, right before the portal closed, she heard a yell of "See you on the wedding day!"

She took a deep breath of clean air, and the rush of elation she felt filled her entire being. She could marry Marceline. "Well...that could have gone much worse…" she said to herself, and as she walked over to her desk, the anticipation of what was to come mounted. She pulled open the top right drawer and pulled out the little box, opening it and looking at the ring she had selected. It was perfect-simple and sharp and not too feminine. Marceline had asked her out tonight, and she'd be damned if she didn't end the evening with a fiancé.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**_BlueLarva, Monochrome Masquerade_, and _Guest_ wanted Hunson and fatherly urges and his reaction to their wedding.**

**Please review!**

**I'm on Tumblr! Check me out! sugarless-gums-perfect-diseast dot tumblr dot com!**

**-JD**


	42. Shape-Shifter

Chapter 42: Shape-Shifter

"The underlying principles of our body chemistry are heretofore incomparable to that of beings unlike ourselves. It is our very existence that differs so entirely from that of other living beings, and, indeed, from beings that reproduce in a semi-organic fashion. While it is true Candy Biomass has principles of its own, it is unknown as to whether or not they could be altered so drastically as to support something along the lines of organic growth in-utero.

"According to all my findings thus far, in the regard of general mapping of a candy humanoid's body, it seems as though all the necessary elements are there to maintain such a life. Which, of course, begs the question: can we? And, if we can, why do we reproduce in such a scientifically improbably way? Did we simply evolve to imitate the body make up of a superior species? Can a candy person grow a life within them? Can the insides of a candy person function the same way as, say, an animal? With me today I have Finn the Human-"

"Hi recording device!"

"Finn please don't shout into the recorder. It bunks up my data."

She turned the recorder off. They had been married for six months, and the only thing she could think about was-

"So! Babies, huh, Peebs? How's that work? Because...as far as I know, you gotta have like...a dude and a chick. And you guys are definitely both chicks. Well...I mean...right?"

Bubblegum sighed, the weight of the task sitting heavily on her shoulders. _But Cosmic Owl above and Death below, do I want children. Her children. _She turned to the boy-the young man, now, she supposed. "Anatomically speaking, we share similar characteristics with those of the female sex, yes."

Finn chuckled. "...sex."

Bubblegum rolled her eyes. Even out of his teens and well into his life, Finn still remained as childish as ever. _But...I do suppose he will grow out of it. And be wise in his years. _"That poses a different problem altogether. The option of cloning or chemically rendering life is, naturally, there. However, my attempts at creating viable life has so far been...well...mildly unsuccessful. While I did succeed in my ventures, they have all been, by and large, unsound; in some way, at the very least. Hence, the natural option seems to be most...safe."

Finn nodded. He looked surprisingly comfortable for being strapped to a wooden plank in her underground science dungeon filled with skeletons and books that smelled of moth wings and the dampness of unknown thoughts. And in only his underwear, no less. Bubblegum turned back to her recorder, which sat on the desk next to the various surgical implements she intended to use.

"With me today, I have Finn the Human, who has graciously allowed my using of his body chemistry in order to further advance my cause. Hopefully, through the comparison of the two opposing forces- that of the candy people and of homo sapiens- I can further delve into the differences in fertility. If the distinction is simple enough, altering body chemistry should be no problem."

The recording device clicked. Getting up, she quickly went about the room beginning to prepare for the task ahead. The x-ray camera was capturing at all times, giving off an odd glow in the dark basement. Finn whistled absentmindedly as she went about setting up the thermal reader, making sure it captured every inch of his body and was both functioning, and recording the data. The surgical camera pointed at a sharp angle down.

When that was all done, Bubblegum went to the sink to wash her hands. _No need to risk infection. _Pulling on her gloves, and a fresh surgical mask, she picked up the simplest item-the needle. Walking up to him with sure steps, she inserted it into his neck, drawing the blood before taping it over with a wad of gauze.

Finn chuckled, breathy. She could hear the nerves creep their way into his voice. "So like...this isn't going to...I don't know...permanently incapacitate me for life or anything like that, right?"

"Of course not." She responded easily. _Probably. _She set the vial of blood into the mini-cooler she had stationed next to her work desk, before picking up a scalpel, which hadn't looked quite so menacing before all the x-ray lights and the thermo dynamic radar and the weird evil-scientist vibe started to be a thing.

Suddenly, a voice echoed down the long stairway, "Bonni?"

She put down the scalpel. Finn exhaled a sigh of relief. "Bonni? Are you down here? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages and-what in the name of Ooo is going on down here?"

Bubblegum shuffled her feet and pulled the mask off of her face. "I'm...conducting a scientific investigation."

She watched Marceline eye the scalpel and the other surgical instruments, as well as the young man strapped to what looked like a blood-stained torture rack, before looking back at her. Marceline quirked an eyebrow. "A scientific investigation."

Bubblegum cleared her throat, all of a sudden her...moral ambiguity seemed a little...misplaced. "Yes...well...really I guess I can get what I need from the blood draw but honestly, Marceline, some more parts really would be good. It could be great for real conducive proof and comparison. I mean, it isn't like he was going to-"

"Bubblegum, why don't we let Finn go."

The pink Queen nodded, and unfastened him from the plank. He boogied into his clothes and scampered off, promising Marceline a jam session sometime when she wasn't busy running two kingdoms and dealing with wife duties.

Marceline turned her eye toward Bubblegum. _Oh Glob...she thinks I'm crazy. She thinks I'm nuts. She thinks I've gone sour. _She scampered about, putting things away that were away to begin with, and fussing around with the books on her desk.

"A scientific experiment?" Marceline asked, eyes twinkling with mirth, floating nearer the candy girl. Bubblegum sighed as long thin arms wrapped themselves around her waist, nothing quite bringing clarity like the feel of her vampire.

"I...do you know how candy people have children?" She broke away to begin pacing, her arms emphasizing each point dramatically. "It's this bizarre thing involving biomass and genetic mutation and it's all very complicated stuff. It doesn't work like other things. And I know you can have 'children' of your own variation but that is certainly not going to work in this instance so I was just trying to find a way for us have children, the two of us-you and I- and have them be ours- yours and mine- on a scientific level. A biological level."

She sat at her desk, flipping through a book so old that she was still surprised it existed at all, the pages feathering away at her fingertips. "Bonni-"

"It seems the ancient tomes on reproduction hint to some sort of DNA manipulation which allowed, or would have allowed, two people of the biologically female persuasion to share a child but all the works I have found have been rudimentary at best and the human's understanding of the biological realm was far from perfect, and far from my own understanding."

She rose from her chair, passion igniting her movements, desire flowing through every inch of her. _I want this. I want this for us. I want this for me. I want...I want. I want. _And she was very used to getting what she wanted. "Bon-"

"So the question arises: can the two of us share a child? Biologically speaking? Can candy people support that form of life? And...I mean I didn't mean to make assumptions but I just...I wanted to carry the...the potential progeny...so the question arose. And then there's the _other_ issue which I'd have to work out because _your_ DNA works differently as well and it's one thing for two human females to want to make this happen because the bases of their entire beings are the same but _us_? Radically different!"

She was pacing again. The sound of her voice echoing through the rocky expanse of her lab, volume increasing as her mind reeled along uninterrupted. "Bon, I-"

"So I just figured if I had a viable sample of human DNA and...some other stuff...then I'd be able to pull apart the pattern, dissect it, and alter the reality of the situation with a new understanding. Of course, it would take much time and many tests before such an alteration was prepared to be used in order to produce the desired effect, but-"

"Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum!" Marceline yelled, grabbing her wife by the shoulders spinning her around to look her in the eye. "Calm down! Take a breath, sugar cube! Geez! I'm gasping just looking at you!" And she was looking. Looking with such adoration and love and...Embarrassment?

Bubblegum pulled apart Marceline's look. Her cheeks were tinged with red, eyes full of love, but...her feet shuffled mindlessly in the air; she'd be dancing on them if she were on the floor. Her pupils were slightly dilated, perhaps due to the dim lighting, but not likely given her vampiric status. Her pointed teeth worked her lips. She swallowed. Nervous. Turned on. Embarrassed. In love. Conclusion: perfection.

"I'm...sorry I've been absent, Marceline. I just...love you. And...I...I want..."

"You want to have my babies." The vampire joked, laughing heartily as Bubblegum flushed to a pretty amaranth.

"Marceline don't be so crass!" She chided lightly, crossing her arms across her chest, the rubber of her lab coat squeaking against the gloves she never took off.

The vampire floated away, arms crossed behind her head as she circled around her Queen in a lounging position. "Well...that's what you're thinking of, isn't it?"

Bubblegum gulped. _Marceline's babies. In me. Growing in me. From her. That's..._shaking her head, she replied, "Well...yes, technically. Though when you say it that way it sounds..."

The sneaky devil had shifted right behind her the feel of her skin not-quite-touching shadowing over Bubblegum's back, causing her eyelids to flutter closed. "It sounds sexual, doesn't it?" The vampire purred, snaking a tongue ever-so-lightly over the crest of a pink ear.

"Y-Yes...but...but it...it can't be because...because you're...and I'm...female!" Bubblegum squeaked out. The ghost touches along her neck, her sides, her chest, unbuttoning her lab coat and slipping on to the floor. Lazy fingertips distracting her and she wished- oh she wished- that Marceline would just get on with touching her already!

"But...Bubblegum...don't you understand? I'm a shape-shifter...my body can be." A kiss to the shoulder. "Anything." To the neck. "It needs to be." And the vampire pulled Bubblegum flush against her front.

"M-Marceline...wh-what...?" She began. And then she felt it and- _Oh. __**Oh. **_The realization hit her suddenly. "Marci...is...is that...?"

There was a wicked chuckle into her neck and a hum of confirmation. "And it works, too."

Bubblegum's eyes opened wide. "Does...does that mean..."

Marceline's hands found a stronger purpose against her hips, grinding into her and moaning, just ever so slightly. "If you can get your parts to work, I have my end of the bargain covered." And she thrust just-so into Bubblegum again, who, for her part, released the smallest noise.

The pink girl gasped. "My parts!" she cried, before pulling away.

Marceline stood still, confused at the loss of her lover in her arms.

Bubblegum turned around. "My parts! Don't you see how easy that will be! I've been manipulating Candy Person DNA for years! And if you can do that, then...! Oh Marceline it's just wonderful! I have to get started right away!"

She ran back over to her desk, pulling out various notebooks and the like and began pouring over them. "I thought we _were_ getting started." Marceline said, gesturing down her body to her addition.

Bubblegum laughed, "Well you start, so you go finish."

Marceline groaned low in her throat. "Are you serious?"

Bubblegum nodded, before leveling a smoky look at her wife. "But don't worry. We'll..._discuss_ this...new information...later tonight." Before sending the vampire off with a sly wink.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**_

_**Hello again.**_


	43. A Mother Lost

Chapter 43: A Mother Lost

"How are they?"

The sound of Bubblegum's voice eases its way into the comfortable silence, and drifts away gently on the breeze that tickles the back of Marceline's neck. It floats of into the rays of that false sun, singular and not real enough to burn, yet real enough flush Marceline's body with a soft warmth. Ever present and perfect, just like the candy girl sitting next to her in all her youth. And it's a miracle the vampire can see her, hold her, love her still with a person to love, not just a gravestone to shove painful memories and aching hearts onto. _She's here. She's with me._ And the thoughts of a million million lifetimes to be had and a million million moments more stretching on for eternity like the sound of her voice floating away distracts the Vampire Queen from exactly what it was her sugar sweet lover said.

So Bubblegum speaks again.

"Marceline? How are they?"

And Marceline starts, because she knew this was a conversation they had to have, and undoubtedly a conversation that they would have many, many more times in the future. Because their children will live, and live, and live, and for who knows how long. _If I'm immortal, and the candy people can live indefinitely if they choose...what does that make them? _And it's something they had talked about before children, and something they had talked to their children about. But here, in the afterlife, sitting in the most beautiful Dead World Marceline had ever seen, it must seem like more than an eternity to Bubblegum. So she answers the best she can.

"They're...confused, I think." And it doesn't make sense to say because being with them now, and being in the body she's in, Marceline is confused too. But being here with Bonni...that makes sense. Which is perhaps why she finds herself running away to- _not running away, just visiting_- Bonni's Dead World more often than she finds herself down in Ooo with her children. But bubblegum looks at her expectantly and Marceline sighs into herself because Bubblegum knows everything. She's a Globbing genius, after all. "Seeing me like this confuses them. Young or whatever, you know? And...Simon is doing fine with the Candy Kingdom, a real chip off of your block. Adeline is a Hellian, as always. Prefers my place to yours, I guess. I...I haven't seen her much..."

Because Addy spends as much time away from home as Marci does. Only without a mother to run off to like Marceline has her wife. "They don't like it when I look so young, so I age up for them y'know? Only like...it has lost some of the effect."

"They love you." Bubblegum says, because she can hear the insecurity in Marceline's voice and can feel the tension only a few inches away from her as they both lay on the silky smooth grass and stare at the blue blue sky and the white white clouds.

"They love _you._" Marceline says, and it stings her like a thousand suns and all of a sudden, she craves the shade and the dank and the dark. Places where she belongs. Not beautiful places like this. She gets up and starts walking around the small world to the little cottage where Bubblegum spends her times. Where she will spend her eternity. Bubblegum follows on the walk.

"Dear. Marci. They love you. They...they don't know what to make of all of this." She says. And it sounds too much like a lie on Marceline's pointed ears, even if she knows it isn't.

"Don't, Bonni. They love you. They grieve you. They miss you. They never loved me quite like you and they'll never be without me. It isn't like they're going to lose me now that Addy runs the Night-O-Sphere and I don't have to go there. It isn't the same." And Marceline hurts, because as much as she wanted to be the best mother, she knows deep down it was always Bubblegum. Bubblegum who wanted the kids so much she altered her body on a fundamental level. Bubblegum with the scientific know-how to make sure these kids were theirs. Bubblegum with the tough job of birth. It was always Bubblegum.

"But they are losing you." The candy girl says. And it stops Marceline in her tracks. "You've been here far more than you've been there. I love you, Marceline, and will love you always. But we have eternity on this little World. You and they only get so much time down there. Down in Ooo. They'll join me I'm sure when the time comes to but...but then it's only this. No wonder, no exploring, no portals, no adventure. It will be an amazing, simple eternity. But they are grieving the loss of one mother, while the other hides and runs away because she thinks she doesn't know how to handle it."

And Marceline turns to look at her with reverence. The trust in Bubblegum's eyes is absolute, and so is the reprimand. She looks too beautiful and Marceline knows she's dead because nothing worldly could be as breathtaking as Bubblegum. But then, that was how she felt down in Ooo anyway. So Marceline kisses her with the passion of a renewed woman, grasping at what was left of a new life. Her family was down there and they needed her. Her children had lost Bubblegum, but she'd be damned if they lost her too. Marceline kisses her, and the sweetness invades her senses and the pink makes her fangs itch an everything in her begs her to stay, stay, stay forever here like this and love her on the grass; but the vampire pulls away, leaving a slightly breathless Bubblegum. Marceline nods, smiles, and turns to go to her other home.

"I hope it is a long time before I see you again, Marci. My Marci." Bubblegum says, and it never sounded like such a good thing before.

* * *

><p>The Night-O-Sphere is spick and span. Marceline has never seen it so orderly. Perhaps it was foolish to say Simon was the most like Bubblegum. And sure, Adeline has to clean up some ruckus every now and then, but the supreme order of all isn't questioned. Not even by Hunson, who almost willingly bows down to his granddaughter, who he spoils rotten.<p>

It's sitting atop a throne where Marceline finds her. A throne the vampire doesn't really remember ever existing before.

"Nice throne." Is the only thing she can think to say at the moment.

"Grandfather got it for me." Comes the terse reply.

"I'm not surprised."

And there is a silence that stretches on for what seems like the length of the entire royal hall. "What are you doing here, mother?" And Marceline can hear the discomfort. The ache. The longing. And she wonders how she didn't hear it before. How all she had heard was disdain and lack of care and grief over Bubblegum.

So she walks right up the steps to the chair itself, pulls her young- _so so young_- daughter up out of it and holds her. Holds her until the whispered apologies fall from her lips quick as the tears that fall from her daughters. Holds her and tells her everything will be alright and she loves her and she'll see her mother again. Holds her and begs forgiveness for being gone. For being absent when she and her brother needed her most and for everything, for everything, because Marceline feels there are too many things to be sorry for in her existence that words cannot contain all of them.

"I missed you, Momma." Addy whispers into her electric flesh, and her voice sounds too much like Bubblegum's.

"I know, baby. I know."

* * *

><p>She wishes the Candy Kingdom wasn't so pastel. It's dark and even so she feels out of place. She wishes for the billionth time she could roam in the sun, because sneaking into the castle at night, even if the castle is still partly hers, just so she can see her son is kind of weird. She slips past the Banana guards and she feels 1000 all over again, instead of the nearly 1100 she has on her now. She floats through the familiar hallways, knowing exactly what her son will be doing at the late hour. She gets to the appropriate door, and wills it to creak open, too nervous to touch it. Of both of her children, Marceline knows Simon isn't quick to forgive, and loved his Mom with fierceness.<p>

"I know you're there, Momma." He says into his paperwork, and he sounds too much like Bubblegum.

"Hello, my little prince." Marceline whispers into the shadows. He liked her demon voice when he was younger. Now it seems it simply tires him, and he sighs heavily before turning to face her. He got the pinker of the skins and the softer of the features and Marceline's heart aches for him because he has to look in the mirror every day and see his mother.

"Why are you here?" He asks, standing to his full height, hand on his chair, and he looks every bit the king Bubblegum always said he'd be.

The vampire knows simply rushing in and holding him won't work-it never has- so she gathers her courage to speak. "I came to apologize, Simon."

And he looks at her like she's a foreign thing. Like she needs to be opened and measured and dissected in order for him to understand. "For what?" He tests. And Marceline knows with every inch of her that it is a test.

"For everything, my boy. For your Mom. For me. For leaving." She says. And she hopes it's the right answer, because it's the best she can do looking at his face that is just like Bubblegum's. And even if Marceline has the privilege to see her whenever she wants, even if they all will spend eternity together, the ache of seeing the love of her life die in this very castle will never fade away completely. "You look just like her." She says, more to herself than to him, but he hears.

"I know," he says, "you told me every day when I was young. Said I was like a miniature Bubblegum." And the sadness and hurt invades every syllable.

"You are everything your Mom could have ever wanted and more." Marceline gives, because she doesn't know if they had said it enough when Bubblegum was alive. The original candy princess was swollen with pride for her children, but now, thinking back, Marceline just can't remember if they said it enough.

"And you?" he asks. Another test. A test too easy to pass.

"You are everything I ever dreamed of. Everything I never _dared_ dream of. You and your sister. And I'm so sorry. I've never been good with the sentimental junk. And I never felt like I knew what to do. But I love you, Simon. That is all I can give. For the rest of our lives together."

Simon studies her for a long moment, and Marceline is afraid that her son will hold his sadness, just before he grabs her tightly. "For the rest of eternity then."

And she's glad he knows, that they all know. When the time comes, the Abadeer/Bubblegum family will all reside together in the Dead World. But in the meantime, Marceline spends more time down in Ooo, then in some residential eternity.

It's okay though. It makes the rarer visits to her Bubblegum all the more...interesting, anyway.


End file.
